Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

fiat money

(Encyclopedia)fiat money fīˈət, fīˈăt [key], inconvertible money that is made legal tender by the decree, or fiat, of the government but that is not covered by a specie reserve. It is commonly understood to b...

Bakiyev, Kurmanbek Saliyevich

(Encyclopedia)Bakiyev, Kurmanbek Saliyevich ko͞ormänbĕkˈ bäkēˈyĕv [key], 1949–, Kyrgyz political leader, president of Kyrgyzstan (2005–2010), b. Masadan. A graduate of Kuybyshev Polytechnic Institute (1...

Carson, Edward Henry Carson, Baron

(Encyclopedia)Carson, Edward Henry Carson, Baron, 1854–1935, Irish politician. After a successful legal career in Dublin, he was elected to the British Parliament (1892) and called to the English bar (1893). He s...

Venda

(Encyclopedia)Venda vĕndˈə [key], former black “homeland” and nominal republic, NE South Africa. It comprised two connected areas near the Zimbabwe border in what is now Limpopo prov. Kruger National Park bo...

Fiji

(Encyclopedia)Fiji vēˈtē [key], officially Republic of Fiji, republic (2015 est. pop. 892,000), c.7,000 sq mi (18,130 sq km), South Pacific. Suva is the capital. Polynesians presumably arrived in the islands ...

Fico, Róbert

(Encyclopedia)Fico, Róbert fēˈtsō [key], 1964–, Slovak political leader. A member of the Communist party (1987–90), its successor, the Party of the Democratic Left (1990–99), and then the center-left Dire...

Fälldin, Thorbjörn

(Encyclopedia)Fälldin, Thorbjörn (Nils Olof Thorbjörn Fälldin), 1926–2016, Swedish political leader, prime minister of Sweden (1976–78, 1979–82). A member of the Center party, he was first elected to the ...

Kurz, Sebastian

(Encyclopedia)Kurz, Sebastian, 1986–, Austrian politician, federal chancellor of Austria (2017–), b. Vienna. A member of the conservative People's party, he was active in the party's youth wing and became its l...

Tshombe, Moise Kapenda

(Encyclopedia)Tshombe, Moise Kapenda mô-ēsˈ kəpĕnˈdä chōmˈbā [key], 1919–69, political leader in Congo (Kinshasa). He was related to the royal family of the Lunda people and received his education at mi...

public ownership

(Encyclopedia)public ownership, government ownership of lands, streets, public buildings, utilities, and other business enterprises. The theory that all land and its resources belong ultimately to the people and th...