Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Holbach, Paul Henri Thiry, baron d' poulˈ hīnˈrĭkh dētrĭkh bärōnˈ fŭn hôlˈbäkh [key], 1723–89, French philosopher, one of the Encyclopedists. Although a native of the Palatinate, he liv...

(Encyclopedia) Biel byĕn [key], city (1990 est. pop. 52,020), Bern canton, NW Switzerland, at the northeast end of the Lake of Biel. A watchmaking center, Biel also manufactures chains and machinery. There is a 16t...

(Encyclopedia) Geneva, Lake, Fr. Lac Léman läk lāmäNˈ [key], crescent-shaped lake, 224 sq mi (580 sq km), c.45 mi (70 km) long, on the Swiss-French border, between the Alps and the Jura mts. About 134 sq. mi. a...

(Encyclopedia) Bourges bo͞orzh [key], city, capital of Cher dept., central France. It is a transportation c...

(Encyclopedia) Mingan Islands mĭngˈgən [key], group of 15 small islands and many islets, E Que., Canada, in the St. Lawrence River, N of Anticosti island. They were visited (1535) by Jacques Cartier, the French e...

(Encyclopedia) Canadian literature, French, the body of literature of the French-speaking population of Canada. Except for the narratives of French explorers (such as Samuel de Champlain and Pierre Esprit Radisson) ...

(Encyclopedia) Sept-Îles sĕtēlˈ [key], city (1991 pop. 24,848), E Que., Canada, on the St. Lawrence River near its mouth. It is a major port exporting iron ore. The harbor was visited by Jacques Cartier in 1535,...

(Encyclopedia) Gaspé găspāˈ, găsˈpā, Fr. gäspāˈ [key], city, E Que., Canada, on Gaspé Bay...

(Encyclopedia) Combes, Émile āmēlˈ kôNb [key], 1835–1921, French statesman. An able politician of the left democratic group, he was minister of education under Léon Bourgeois (1895–96) and, succeeding Ren�...

(Encyclopedia) Bach, Thomas, 1953–, German sports executive, b. Würzberg. A lawyer and businessman, he won a gold medal in team fencing representing West Germany in the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Bach served as pres...