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Mukwege, Denis

(Encyclopedia)Mukwege, Denis, 1955–, Congolese gynecologist and human-rights activist. He studied medicine at the Univ. of Burundi (grad. 1983) and worked as a pediatrician in a hospital in Lemera, Congo (Kinshas...

John II, king of Portugal

(Encyclopedia)John II (John the Perfect), 1455–95, king of Portugal (1481–95), son and successor of Alfonso V. He was an astute politician and statesman and a patron of Renaissance art and learning. He reduced ...

Kaffraria

(Encyclopedia)Kaffraria kəfrărˈēə [key], former name for what is now SE Eastern Cape prov., E South Africa. The region was inhabited by the Xhosa, who fought a series of wars with the Boers and then the Britis...

Etosha Game Park

(Encyclopedia)Etosha Game Park ātōˈshä [key], c.26,000 sq mi (67,300 sq km), NW Namibia; est. 1928. It is one of Africa's largest game reserves and extends inland from the coast beyond the Etosha Pan to the Ova...

Namaqualand

(Encyclopedia)Namaqualand näˈməlănd [key], region, c.150,000 sq mi (388,500 sq km), SW Africa. It extends from Windhoek, Namibia, in the north to Northern Cape, South Africa, in the south and from the Namib Des...

Biafra, Bight of

(Encyclopedia)Biafra, Bight of bēäˈfrə [key], eastern bay of the Gulf of Guinea, W Africa. It extends approximately from the Niger River delta, in S Nigeria, to N Gabon. The bight gave its name to the secession...

Transkei

(Encyclopedia)Transkei trănskīˈ [key], former black “homeland” and nominal republic, E South Africa, in what is now Eastern Cape prov. Transkei was bounded by the Great Kei River on the south, by the Indian ...

Victoria Nile

(Encyclopedia)Victoria Nile, river, section of the White Nile, c.260 mi (420 km) long, central Uganda, E central Africa. It drains from the northern end of Lake Victoria (see Victoria, Lake) at Jinja and flows gene...

whirlpool

(Encyclopedia)whirlpool, revolving current in an ocean, river, or lake. It may be caused by the configuration of the shore, irregularities in the bottom of the body of water, the meeting of opposing currents or tid...

hippopotamus

(Encyclopedia)hippopotamus, herbivorous, river-living mammal of tropical Africa. The large hippopotamus, Hippopotamus amphibius, has a short-legged, broad body with a tough gray or brown hide. The male stands about...