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veld

(Encyclopedia)veld or veldt both: vĕlt, Du. fĕlt [key] [Du.,=field], term applied to the grassy undulating plateaus of the Republic of South Africa and of Zimbabwe. The veld comprises territory of varying elevati...

Timgad

(Encyclopedia)Timgad tĭmˈgăd [key], ancient Thamugadi, ruined city, Algeria, S of Constantine. It is sometimes called the Pompeii of North Africa because of the extensive remains of the Roman city founded here b...

Speke, John Hanning

(Encyclopedia)Speke, John Hanning spēk [key], 1827–64, English explorer in Africa. He joined Sir Richard Burton in his expeditions to Somaliland (1854) and to E central Africa (1857–59). Together they discover...

giant African land snail

(Encyclopedia)giant African land snail, any of several species of large terrestrial snails of tropical Africa that have become agricultural pests in other regions of the world. The species include the giant African...

giant pouched rat

(Encyclopedia)giant pouched rat, terrestrial African rodent of the genus Cricetomys. Found in a wide variety of habitats, including farmland, in sub-Saharan Africa north of South Africa, giant pouched rats resemble...

Biko, Steve

(Encyclopedia)Biko, Steve (Steven Biko) bēˈkō [key], 1946–77, South African political leader. A medical student, ...

Mbeki, Thabo Mvuyelwa

(Encyclopedia)Mbeki, Thabo Mvuyelwa täˈbō mvo͝oyĕlˈə mbĕkˈē [key], 1942–, South African political leader. Mbeki was born into a politically active family; his father, Govan Mbeki, an official with the A...

Clapperton, Hugh

(Encyclopedia)Clapperton, Hugh, 1788–1827, British explorer, b. Annan, Scotland. After serving with the British navy in East India and Canada he made two journeys to W Africa. On the initial journey (1822–25) h...

Leptis

(Encyclopedia)Leptis lĕpˈtĭs [key], ancient city of Libya, E of Tripoli. It was founded (c.600 b.c.) by Phoenicians from Sidon. Annexed (46 b.c.) to the Roman province of Africa, it flourished as an important po...

Kivu, lake, Congo and Rwanda

(Encyclopedia)Kivu, lake, 1,042 sq mi (2,699 sq km), 55 mi (89 km) long, on the Congo-Rwanda border, E central Africa; highest lake in Africa (4,788 ft/1,459 m). It is drained by the Ruzizi River, which flows S int...