Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

mamba

(Encyclopedia)mamba, name for African snakes of the genus Dendroaspis, in the cobra family. Widely distributed throughout Africa except in the deserts, mambas have extremely toxic venom. When attacking they raise t...

Mphahlele, Es'kia

(Encyclopedia)Mphahlele, Es'kia (Ezekiel Es'kia Mphahlele) ĕskēˈə əmfəlāˈlā [key], 1919–2008, South African writer, grad. Univ. of South Africa (M.A., 1956). He began his career as a writer for Drum maga...

Namibia

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Namibia nämĭbˈēə [key], officially Republic of Namibia, republic (2015 est. pop. 2,426,000), c.318,000 sq mi (823,620 sq km), SW Africa. It is bordered by Angola in the north, by Zambia in...

Kenya, Mount

(Encyclopedia)Kenya, Mount, or Mount Kirinyaga, extinct volcano, central Kenya, just south of the equator. Its highest peak, Batian, reaches 17,058 ft (5,199 m), making Mt. Kenya the highest mountain in Africa afte...

Bophuthatswana

(Encyclopedia)Bophuthatswana bōpo͞oˈtätswänˌə [key], former black “homeland” and nominal republic, c.17,000 sq mi (44,000 sq km), N South Africa. Bophuthatswana comprised seven separate areas, one along ...

Botswana

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Botswana bŏtswäˈnə [key], officially Republic of Botswana, republic (2020 est. pop. ...

Hani, Martin Thembisile

(Encyclopedia)Hani, Chris 1942–1993, anti-apartheid activist, politician, and soldier. A legendary figure in South African history and a key participant in the ...

Bujumbura

(Encyclopedia)Bujumbura bo͞oˌjəmˈbo͝orˈə [key], city, commercial capital of Burundi and capital of Bujumbura Mairie ...

Cadamosto, Luigi da

(Encyclopedia)Cadamosto, Luigi da lo͞oēˈjē dä kädämôˈstō [key], 1432?–1488, Venetian navigator in the service of Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal. He seems to have entered Portuguese service in 14...

Browse by Subject