Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Huang He

(Encyclopedia)Huang He, Hwang Ho both: hwängˈ ho͝oˈ [key], or Yellow River, great river of N China, c.3,000 mi (4,830 km) long, rising in the twin lakes Gyaring and Ngoring in the Kunlun Mts., NW Qinghai prov....

exploration

(Encyclopedia)exploration, travel to a part of the earth that is relatively unknown to the traveler's culture, historically often motivated by a desire for colonization, conquest, or trade. See also space explorati...

Store Bælt Bridge

(Encyclopedia)Store Bælt Bridge stôˈrə bĕlt [key], link comprising two bridges and a tunnel, S Denmark, across the Store Bælt strait (see Store Bælt and Lille Bælt) between Sjælland and Fyn islands. The en...

lamp

(Encyclopedia)lamp, originally a vessel for holding oil or some combustible substance that could be burned through a wick for illumination; the term has been extended to other lighting devices. Stones, shells, and ...

Granger movement

(Encyclopedia)Granger movement, American agrarian movement taking its name from the National Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry, an organization founded in 1867 by Oliver H. Kelley and six associates. Its local uni...

Cochin China

(Encyclopedia)Cochin China kōˈchĭn, kŏˈ– [key], Fr. Cochinchine, historic region (c.26,500 sq mi/68,600 sq km) of Vietnam, SE Asia. The capital and chief city was Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City). Cochin China ...

Primakov, Yevgeny Maksimovich

(Encyclopedia)Primakov, Yevgeny Maksimovich yĭvgyānˈyē mŭksyēˈməvyĭchˌ prēˌməkôfˈ [key], 1929–2015, Russian government official and economist, b. Kiev (now in Ukraine). An Arabic scholar, grad. (19...

Babylon, ancient city, Mesopotamia

(Encyclopedia)Babylon băbˈəlŏn [key], ancient city of Mesopotamia. One of the most important cities of the ancient Middle East, it was on the Euphrates River and was north of the cities that flourished in S Mes...

Thant, U

(Encyclopedia)Thant, U o͞o thänt [key], 1909–74, Burmese diplomat, secretary-general of the United Nations (1962–72). Educated at University College, Yangon, he later held positions in education, the press, a...

Malay Archipelago

(Encyclopedia)Malay Archipelago, great island group of SE Asia, formerly called the East Indies. Lying between the Asian mainland and Australia, and separating the Pacific Ocean from the Indian Ocean, it includes B...