Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

351 results found

South, the

(Encyclopedia)South, the, region of the United States embracing the southeastern and south-central parts of the country. Traditionally, all states S of the Mason-Dixon Line and the Ohio River (except West Virginia)...

water pollution

(Encyclopedia)water pollution, contamination of water resources by harmful wastes; see also sewerage, water supply, pollution, and environmentalism. The United States has enacted extensive federal legislation to ...

Confederacy

(Encyclopedia)Confederacy, name commonly given to the Confederate States of America (1861–65), the government established by the Southern states of the United States after their secession from the Union. (For the...

bridge, structure

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Bridges bridge, structure built over water or any obstacle or depression to allow the passage of pedestrians or vehicles. See also viaduct. In wartime, where the means of crossing a stream o...

United States

(Encyclopedia)CE5 CE5 CE5 United States, officially United States of America, republic (2015 est. pop. 319,929,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third l...

Quebec, province, Canada

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Quebec kābĕkˈ [key], province (2001 pop. 7,237,479), 594,860 sq mi (1,553,637 sq km), E Canada. During the 20th cent. great economic growth in Quebec was coupled with increased determina...

New Mexico

(Encyclopedia)CE5 New Mexico, state in the SW United States. At its northwestern corner are the so-called Four Corners, where Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah meet at right angles; New Mexico is also bord...

Belarus

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Belarus or Byelarus both: byĕˌləro͞osˈ [key], officially Republic of Belarus, republic (2020 est. pop. ...

Parliament

(Encyclopedia)Parliament, legislative assembly of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Over the centuries it has become more than a legislative body; it is the sovereign power of Great Britain,...

railroad

(Encyclopedia)railroad or railway, form of transportation most commonly consisting of steel rails, called tracks, on which trains of freight cars, passenger cars, and other rolling stock are drawn by one locomotive...