Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Biafra, Bight of

(Encyclopedia)Biafra, Bight of bēäˈfrə [key], eastern bay of the Gulf of Guinea, W Africa. It extends approximately from the Niger River delta, in S Nigeria, to N Gabon. The bight gave its name to the secession...

Berbers

(Encyclopedia)Berbers, aboriginal Caucasoid peoples of N Africa, called Imazighen in the Tamazight language. They inhabit the lands lying between the Sahara and the Mediterranean Sea and between Egypt and the Atlan...

Cenozoic era

(Encyclopedia)Cenozoic era sēnəzōˈĭk, sĕn– [key], last major division of geologic time (see Geologic Timescale, tablegeologic timescale, table) lasting from 65 million years ago to the present. The Cenozoic...

Afroasiatic languages

(Encyclopedia)Afroasiatic languages hămˈĭtō-səmĭtˈĭk [key], family of languages spoken by more than 250 million people in N Africa; much of the Sahara; parts of E, central, and W Africa; and W Asia (especia...

Aldana, Francisco de

(Encyclopedia)Aldana, Francisco de fränthēsˈkō ᵺā äldäˈnä [key], 1537–78, Spanish general, diplomat, and poet, b. Alcántara or Naples. He symbolizes the ideal of the Spanish Renaissance. As a soldier ...

cocoa-plum

(Encyclopedia)cocoa-plum, sweet but somewhat dry fruit of the evergreen tree Chrysobalanus icaco, of the family Chyrsobalanaceae. The fruits are eaten fresh and often made into preserves. An oil used for making can...

Fouta Djallon

(Encyclopedia)Fouta Djallon or Futa Jallon both: fo͞oˈtä jälôNˈ [key], highland region, c.30,000 sq mi (77,700 sq km), central Guinea, W Africa. Largely a rolling grassland (average alt. c.3,000 ft/910 m), th...

Group of Seventy Seven

(Encyclopedia)Group of Seventy Seven (G77), international organization, established in 1967 to promote economic cooperation and greater influence in world affairs among developing countries. Originally consisting o...

Clapp, Verner

(Encyclopedia)Clapp, Verner, 1901–72, American librarian, b. Johannesburg, South Africa. After studying philosophy at Harvard, Clapp worked for the Library of Congress (1922–56), becoming chief assistant librar...

Algeciras

(Encyclopedia)Algeciras älhāthēˈräs [key], city, Cádiz prov., S Spain, in Andalusia, on the Bay of Algeciras opposite Gibraltar. A Mediterranean seaport, it is the main Spanish fe...
 

Browse by Subject