Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

94 results found

Helmand

(Encyclopedia)Helmand or Helmund both: hĕlˈmənd [key], river, c.700 mi (1,130 km) long, rising in the Hindu Kush Mts., NE Afghanistan and flowing generally SW to the Sistan basin, SW Afghanistan, where it helps ...

wheat grass

(Encyclopedia)wheat grass, any plant of the genus Agropyron, cool-season perennials of the family Poaceae (grass family). Species of wheat grass, both native and introduced, are important range forage grasses in th...

malnutrition

(Encyclopedia)malnutrition, insufficiency of one or more nutritional elements necessary for health and well-being. Primary malnutrition is caused by the lack of essential foodstuffs—usually vitamins, minerals, or...

fonio

(Encyclopedia)fonio, annual plant, genus Digitaria, of the grass family (Poaceoe). Native to Senegal, it is a type of millet grown as a staple grain throughout the Sahel region of West Africa, where it has been cul...

Hine, Lewis

(Encyclopedia)Hine, Lewis (Lewis Wickes Hine), 1874–1940, American photographer, b. Oshkosh, Wis. Hine dedicated much of his photographic career, which began shortly after he bought his first camera in 1903, to e...

jatropha

(Encyclopedia)jatropha jăˈtrəfə [key], any plant of a widely distributed genus (Japtropha) of perennial herbs, shrubs, and trees in the family Euphorbiaceae (spurge family), native to tropical areas of the West...

Romário

(Encyclopedia)Romário (Romário de Souza Faria), 1966–, Brazilian soccer player. A striker, he had a long stride and outstanding control and mobility despite his small stature (5 ft 6 in./1.68 m). He played with...

Stavropol Territory

(Encyclopedia)Stavropol Territory, administrative division (1995 pop. 2,650,000), 31,120 sq mi (80,601 sq km), S European Russia, in the North Caucasus, the northern foothills of the main Caucasian range, and the d...

Sahel

(Encyclopedia)Sahel sähĕlˈ [key], name applied to the semiarid region of Africa between the Sahara to the north and the savannas to the south, extending from Senegal and Mauritania on the west, through Mali, N B...

sertão

(Encyclopedia)sertão sərˈtouN [key] [Port.,=backlands], semiarid hinterland of NE Brazil; c.250,000 sq mi (647,500 sq km). Its characteristic landscape is the caatinga, or thorny scrub forest. The chief occupati...

Browse by Subject