Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Carson, Rachel Louise

(Encyclopedia)Carson, Rachel Louise, 1907–64, American writer and marine biologist, b. Springdale, Pa., M.A. Johns Hopkins, 1932. Her well-known books on sea life—Under the Sea-Wind (1941), The Sea around Us (1...

Mangyshlak Peninsula

(Encyclopedia)Mangyshlak Peninsula mən-gĭshläkˈ [key], W Kazakhstan, extending into the NE Caspian Sea. Except for the Kara-Tau range, the peninsula is below sea level; Batyr Sink is c.430 ft (130 m) below sea ...

Jordan, river, Asia

(Encyclopedia)Jordan, river, c.200 mi (320 km) long, formed in the Hula basin, N Israel, by the confluence of three headwater streams and meandering S through the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea; the region of Pales...

Gibraltar

(Encyclopedia)Gibraltar jĭbrôlˈtər [key], British overseas territory (2015 est. pop. 34,000), 2.5 sq mi (6.5 sq km), on a narrow, rocky peninsula extending into the Mediterranean Sea from SW Spain. Most of the ...

melon

(Encyclopedia)melon, fruit of Cucumis melo, a plant of the family Curcurbitaceae (gourd family) native to Asia and now cultivated extensively in warm regions. There are many varieties, differing in taste, color, an...

Almería

(Encyclopedia)Almería älmārēˈä [key], city, capital of Almería prov., SE Spain, in Andalusia, on the Gulf of Almería. A busy Mediterranean port, it exports the celebrated grapes...

terebinth

(Encyclopedia)terebinth tĕrˈəbĭnth [key] or turpentine tree, small deciduous tree (Pistacia terebinthus) of the family Anacardiaceae (sumac family), native to the Mediterranean region. It yielded probably the e...

Penzance

(Encyclopedia)Penzance pĕnzănsˈ [key], town (1991 pop. 18,501), Cornwall, SW England, at the head of Mounts Bay. Penzance is a resort and a port for the Scilly Islands. It also has flour mills. Penzance Library ...

parsley

(Encyclopedia)parsley, Mediterranean aromatic herb (Petroselinum crispum or Apium petroselinum) of the carrot family, cultivated since the days of the Romans for its foliage, used in cookery as a seasoning and garn...

Vyg

(Encyclopedia)Vyg vĭg [key], Finn. Uikujärvi, Rus. Vygozero, lake, c.300 sq mi (780 sq km), NW European Russia, in Karelia, between Lake Onega and the White Sea. It is fed by the Vyg River, which also drains it i...
 

Browse by Subject