Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Frederick William, elector of Brandenburg

(Encyclopedia)Frederick William, known as the Great Elector, 1620–88, elector of Brandenburg (1640–88), son and successor of George William. At his accession the scattered lands of the Hohenzollern were devasta...

international date line

(Encyclopedia)international date line, imaginary line on the earth's surface, generally following the 180° meridian of longitude, where, by international agreement, travelers change dates. Traveling eastward acros...

guillemot

(Encyclopedia)guillemot gĭlˈəmŏtˌ [key], northern sea bird, genus Cephas, of the auk family. The black guillemot, or trystie, Cephus grylle, is about 13 in. (33 cm) long and is very striking in its breeding pl...

Pepin the Short

(Encyclopedia)Pepin the Short (Pepin III), c.714–768, first Carolingian king of the Franks (751–68), son of Charles Martel and father of Charlemagne. Succeeding his father as mayor of the palace (741), he ruled...

plebiscite

(Encyclopedia)plebiscite plĕbˈĭsīt [key] [Lat.,=popular decree], vote of the people on a question submitted to them, as in a referendum. The term, however, has acquired the more specific meaning of a popular vo...

World Health Organization

(Encyclopedia)World Health Organization (WHO), specialized agency of the United Nations, established in 1948, with its headquarters at Geneva. WHO admits all sovereign states (including those not belonging to the U...

Carinthia

(Encyclopedia)Carinthia kərĭnˈthēə [key], Ger. Kärnten, province, c.3,680 sq mi (9,531 sq km), S Aust...

Nagaland

(Encyclopedia)Nagaland näˈgəlănd [key], state (2001 provisional pop. 1,988,686), 6,365 sq mi (16,485 sq km), NE India. Kohima is the capital; the largest city is Dimapur. It is a wild, forested, and undeveloped...

Kyushu

(Encyclopedia)Kyushu kyo͞oˈsho͞o [key], island (1990 pop. 13,064,955), c.13,760 sq mi (35,640 sq km), S Japan. It is the third largest, southernmost, and most densely populated of the major islands of Japan. It ...

Barbuda

(Encyclopedia)Barbuda, island, 62 sq mi (161 sq km), a dependency of Antigua and Barbuda). Located in the central Leeward Islands, Barbuda lies 25 mi (40 km) N of Ant...

Browse by Subject