Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Stassfurt

(Encyclopedia)Stassfurt shtäsˈfo͝ort [key], city (1994 pop. 24,025), Saxony-Anhalt, central Germany. It is a center of one of the world's great potash-mining regions. City manufactures include chemicals, foodstu...

Stewart, Jackie

(Encyclopedia)Stewart, Jackie (John Young Stewart), 1939–, Scottish automobile race driver. He began racing in 1961 and by 1973 had won 27 world championship Grand Prix victories. A dominant force in the sport, h...

Mauna Loa

(Encyclopedia)Mauna Loa mouˈnə lōˈə [key], volcano, 13,680 ft (4,170 m) high, in the S central part of the island of Hawaii, in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, the largest active volcano in the world. Its seve...

Merthyr Tydfil

(Encyclopedia)Merthyr Tydfil mûrˈthər tĭdˈvĭl [key], town (1981 pop. 38,893) and county borough, 43 sq mi (111 sq km), S Wales. Located on the Taff River, the town is connected to Cardiff by canal. It has iro...

Bruhn, Erik

(Encyclopedia)Bruhn, Erik ĕrˈĭk bro͞on [key], 1929–86, Danish ballet dancer, b. Copenhagen. Bruhn joined the Royal Danish Ballet in 1947 and became a soloist there in 1949. He was widely regarded as one of th...

Brooklyn Bridge

(Encyclopedia)Brooklyn Bridge, vehicular suspension bridge, New York City, southernmost of the bridges across the East River, between lower Manhattan and Brooklyn; built 1869–83. The achievement of J. A. Roebling...

Christie's

(Encyclopedia)Christie's, English firm of art auctioneers and appraisers, one of the largest clearinghouses in the world for art objects of all kinds. Founded in 1766 by James Christie, it has locations all over th...

cruiser

(Encyclopedia)cruiser, large, fast, moderately armed warship, intermediate in type between the aircraft carrier and the destroyer. During World War II, battle cruisers operated as small battleships, combining in on...

Holyfield, Evander

(Encyclopedia)Holyfield, Evander, 1962–, American boxer, b. Atmore, Ala. Favored to win the 1984 Olympic heavyweight title, but victim of a controversial disqualification, he turned professional and became cruise...

Food and Agriculture Organization

(Encyclopedia)Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), specialized agency of the United Nations, established in 1945. Its headquarters is in Rome, and it has a number of regional, subregional, and liaison offices a...