Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Morgan, Lewis Henry

(Encyclopedia)Morgan, Lewis Henry, 1818–81, American anthropologist, b. Aurora, N.Y., grad. Union College, Schenectady, 1840. Practicing as a lawyer, he became interested in the Native Americans of his locality, ...

Panama, city, Panama

(Encyclopedia)Panama, city (1990 pop. 584,803), central Panama, capital and largest city of Panama, on the Gulf of Panama. Founded in 1519 by Pedro Arias de Ávila, the city flourished in early colonial times as th...

pollution

(Encyclopedia)pollution, contamination of the environment as a result of human activities. The term pollution refers primarily to the fouling of air, water, and land by wastes (see air pollution; water pollution; s...

Hong Kong, University of

(Encyclopedia)Hong Kong, University of, at Hong Kong, China; founded 1912. There are undergraduate faculties of architecture, liberal arts, business and economics, dentistry, education, engineering, law, medicine, ...

Gagra

(Encyclopedia)Gagra gäˈgrē [key], city, Abkhazia, W Georgia, on the Black Sea and at the foot of the Gre...

Boscawen, Edward

(Encyclopedia)Boscawen, Edward bŏskōˈən [key], 1711–61, British admiral. He was a popular naval hero, famous for his decisive courage displayed against France and Spain at Portobelo (1739), Cape Finisterre (1...

Temple, city, United States

(Encyclopedia)Temple, city (1990 pop. 46,109), Bell co., central Tex.; inc. 1882. In a rich blackland region, Temple has grain and textile mills, railroad shops, and plants that make computer printers and terminals...

Santiago del Estero

(Encyclopedia)Santiago del Estero, city (1991 pop. including La Banda 264,273), capital of Santiago del Estero prov., N Argentina. It is a transportation hub of the Argentine Chaco and a commercial center for cattl...

Kan, Naoto

(Encyclopedia)Kan, Naoto, 1946–, Japanese political leader, grad. Tokyo Institute of Technology (1970). A civic activist and long-time opponent of the Liberal Democratic party, he first was elected to the Diet in...

Gulf War syndrome

(Encyclopedia)Gulf War syndrome, popular name for a variety of ailments experienced by veterans after the Persian Gulf War. Symptoms reported include nausea, cramps, rashes, short-term memory loss, fatigue, difficu...