Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Dillon, Clarence Douglas dĭlˈən [key], 1909–2003, U.S. secretary of the treasury (1961–65), b. Geneva, Switzerland (of American parents). After graduation (1931) from Harvard he became a member...

(Encyclopedia) Białowieża byälôvyĕˈzhä [key], Belarusian Bielavieskaja pušča, Pol. Puszcza Białowieska, Rus. Belovezhskaya Pushcha, large forest, c.450 sq mi (1,170 sq km), E Poland and W Belarus. The last...

(Encyclopedia) Amato, Giuliano, 1938–, Italian lawyer and political leader, premier of Italy (1992–93, 2000–2001), b. Turin. He has taught at several universities, including Sapienza Univ. of Rome (1975–97)....

(Encyclopedia)  CE5 Europe yo͝orˈəp [key], 6th largest continent, c.4,000,000 sq mi (10,360,000 sq km) including adjacent islands (2015 est. pop. 740,814,000). It is actually a vast peninsula of the great Euras...

(Encyclopedia) Saint Valentine's Day, Western European Christian holiday, originally the Roman feast of Lupercalia. It was christianized in memory of the martyrdom of St. Valentine in a.d. 270, who, in medieval time...

(Encyclopedia) Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, accredited institution of higher education; in New York City; coeducational; chartered and opened in 1859. Founded by Peter Cooper, it pioneered in...

(Encyclopedia) International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), formerly World Conservation Union, international organization founded in 1948 to encourage the preservation of wildlife...

(Encyclopedia) Marshall Plan or European Recovery Program, project instituted at the Paris Economic Conference (July, 1947) to foster economic recovery in certain European countries after World War II. The Marshall ...

(Encyclopedia) Bercow, John Simon, 1963–, British politician. A member of the Conservative party, he was first elected to Parliament in 1997. In 2009, Bercow was elected speaker of the House of Commons, a post he ...

(Encyclopedia) Cresson, Edith ādētˈ krĕsōNˈ [key], 1934–, French politician, b. Edith Campion. After studying at the École des Hautes Études Commerciales, she became a consultant in private industry. Activ...