Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Tolkien, J. R. R. (John Ronald Reuel Tolkien) tälˈkēn, tōlˈ– [key], 1892–1973, British novelist, b. South Africa. A fantasy writer and Oxford don, Tolkien wrote The Hobbit (1937), adapted fro...

(Encyclopedia) Ryazan ryəzänˈyə [key], city (1989 pop. 515,000), capital of Ryazan region, E central European Russia, on the Oka River. Industries include oil refining, lignite processing, and the manufacture of...

(Encyclopedia) Eger ĕˈgĕr [key], Ger. Erlau, city (1991 est. pop. 62,474), NE Hungary, on the Eger River. It is the commercial center of a wine-producing region and has food- and tobacco-processing plants. Eger i...

(Encyclopedia) Gloucester, city (2020 pop. 29,729), Essex co., NE Mass., on Cape Ann; settled 1623, inc. as a city 1873. It is a port of entry at the head of Glouceste...

(Encyclopedia) René rənāˈ [key], 1409–80, king of Naples (1435–80; rival claimant to Alfonso V of Aragón and Ferdinand I of Naples), duke of Anjou, Bar, and Lorraine, count of Provence. He was also called R...

(Encyclopedia) mark, designation for the free village community that was supposed to have been the unit of primitive German social life. According to a theory formulated in the 19th cent. by Georg Ludwig von Maurer ...

(Encyclopedia) Kutaisi ko͞otəēˈsē [key], city (1989 pop. 234,870), W Georgia, on the Rion River. Georgia's second largest city and the country's former legislative capital (2012–18), it has industries produci...

(Encyclopedia) Giurgiu jo͝orˈjo͝o [key], city, S Romania, in Walachia, on the Danube River opposite R...

(Encyclopedia) Kahramanmaraş märäshˈ [key], city (1990 pop. 229,066), S Turkey. The city lies on a fertile plain at the foot of the Taurus Mts. A center for light industry and trade, spices, olive oil, and handi...

(Encyclopedia) Yazd yäzd [key], city (1991 pop. 275,298), capital of Yazd prov., central Iran, in a desert region. The city is known for its elaborate silk products and remains a center for silk weaving. Grain, fru...