Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

O'Donnell, Leopoldo

(Encyclopedia)O'Donnell, Leopoldo lāōpōlˈdō ōᵺōˈnĕl [key], 1809–67, Spanish general and statesman; member of a branch of the Irish O'Donnells of Tyrconnel. He fought successfully for Isabella II agains...

Allawi, Ayad

(Encyclopedia)Allawi, Ayad ĕyädˈ äläˈwē [key], 1946–, Iraqi political leader. A doctor and prominent secular Shiite, he was a Ba'ath party member but went into exile in 1971. After a 1978 assassination att...

Duvalier, François

(Encyclopedia)Duvalier, François fräNswäˈ düvälyāˈ [key], 1907–71, dictator of Haiti (1957–71). A physician, he became director-general of the national public health service in 1946 and subsequently ser...

Pérez Rodríguez, Carlos Andrés

(Encyclopedia)Pérez Rodríguez, Carlos Andrés kärˈlōs ändrāsˈ pāˈrās rôdrēˈgās [key], 1922–2010, president of Venezuela (1974–78, 1989–93). An aide to President Rómulo Betancourt, he was secre...

Ben Ali, Zine el-Abidine

(Encyclopedia)Ben Ali, Zine el-Abidine zēˈnĕl abĭdēn bĕn älēˈ [key], 1936–2019, president of Tunisia (1987–2011). Educated in France and the United States, he entered the army and became ambassador to ...

Bouterse, Désiré Delano

(Encyclopedia)Bouterse, Désiré Delano, 1945–, Surinamese military and political leader, president of Suriname (2010–20). He received military training in the Netherlands and was stationed at a German military...

Paraguay, country, South America

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Paraguay pârˈəgwā, –gwī, Span. pärägwīˈ [key], officially Republic of Paraguay, republic (2015 est. pop. 6,639,000), 157,047 sq mi (406,752 sq km), S central South America. Paraguay ...

Rutskoi, Aleksandr Vladimirovich

(Encyclopedia)Rutskoi or Rutskoy, Aleksandr Vladimirovich ŭlˌyĭksänˈdər vlŭdˌyĭmĭrˈəvyĭchˌ ro͞otskoiˈ [key], 1947–, Russian politician, b. Ukraine. A Russian nationalist and former air force offic...

Ramos-Horta, José

(Encyclopedia)Ramos-Horta, José, 1949–, East Timorese independence advocate and political leader; co-recipient, with Carlos Belo, of the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize. After engaging in anti-Portuguese activities, he w...

Thermidor

(Encyclopedia)Thermidor thûrˈmĭdôr, Fr. tĕrmēdôrˈ [key], 11th month of the French Revolutionary calendar. The coup of 9 Thermidor (July 27, 1794) marked the downfall of Robespierre and the end of the Reign ...

Browse by Subject