LITTLE BLUE BOOK NO. 1259
Edited by E. Haldeman-Julius
A Dictionary of
Geographical Names
Compiled by Leo Markun
HALDEMAN-JULIUS PUBLICATIONS
GIRARD, KANSAS
Copyright, 1927,
Haldeman-Julius Company
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A DICTIONARY OF GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES
_Aachen._ The ancient Aquisgranum, in French: Aix-la-Chapelle. A city
of Rhenish Prussia, Germany. Formerly the capital of Charlemagne and
Pepin the Little.
_Aar._ A Swiss river.
_Aargau._ In French: Argovie. A canton of Switzerland.
_Aberdeen._ Old city of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Now an important
manufacturing center.
_Aberdeen_ or _Aberdeenshire_. A Scottish county.
_Aboukir_ or _Abukir_. Village fifteen miles from Alexandria, Egypt.
In Abukir Bay was fought the Battle of the Nile, in which Nelson won a
great victory.
_Abydos._ An ancient town on the Hellespont (Dardanelles). More
frequently, an Egyptian city near the western bank of the Nile, no
longer in existence.
_Abyssinia._ Independent state in Africa, governed by a monarch.
_Acadia._ In French: Acadie. Former name of Nova Scotia.
_Achaia._ Northern coast of the Peloponnesus or a district in Thessaly,
in ancient times. The whole of southern Greece as a Roman province.
_Acre._ City in Beirut Vilayet, Syria. Important in the Crusades.
_Actium._ Promontory in Acarnania, at entrance to the Ambracian Gulf,
where Augustus gained a great victory over Antony and Cleopatra.
_Adelaide._ Capital of South Australia, important commercial center.
_Aden._ British fortified settlement and coaling station in Arabia.
_Adirondacks._ Mountains in northern New York, part of the Appalachian
system.
_Adrianople._ Anciently, Hadrianopolis or Adrianopolis, the city of
Hadrian. City in Turkey, once the capital of the Ottoman Empire.
_Adriatic._ Sea, branch of Mediterranean, east of Italy.
_Aegean._ Sea, between Mediterranean and Sea of Marmora, between Greece
and Asia Minor.
_Afghanistan._ Country in Asia, north and west of India.
_Africa._ Continent, connected with Asia by a small strip of land (cut
by Suez Canal) and separated from Europe by the Mediterranean Sea.
Northern Africa was known to the ancients, but Europeans have only
lately learned to know the southern part and the interior well. Most of
Africa is occupied by European colonies. Area, 11,608,000 sq. mi.
_Aisne._ River in northern France. Battlefield in Great War. Department
of France.
_Aix-la-Chapelle._ See Aachen.
_Ajaccio._ Capital of Corsica, birthplace of Napoleon.
_Alaska._ Territory of U. S., in northwestern part of North America.
_Alba Longa._ Most ancient town in Latium, near Rome. Destroyed by
Tullius Hostilius.
_Albania._ Ancient country east of Iberia. Country in the Balkans.
_Albany._ Capital of New York. Name of various other cities and towns,
mostly in U. S. River in Ontario.
_Albion._ Old name for England.
_Albuquerque._ City in New Mexico. City in Philippines.
_Aleppo._ City in Syria, controlled by French.
_Alexandria._ Several cities founded by Alexander the Great bore this
name. Old capital of Egypt, now an important seaport. Ancient cities
near Troy, at entrance of Syria, at the mouth of the Tigris. Modern
cities in Virginia, in Rumania.
_Algeria._ French colony in northern Africa.
_Algiers._ In French: Alger. Capital of Algeria, important seaport.
_Alps._ Mountain system in Europe.
_Alsace-Lorraine._ Region long disputed between France and Germany.
These provinces are now French.
_America._ Two continents, North and South America. The New World.
_Amiens._ French city with a celebrated cathedral.
_Amsterdam._ The most important city of the Netherlands. A great
seaport.
_Amu Darya._ River in central Asia.
_Anatolia._ Asia Minor, part of Turkey.
_Andes._ Mountain system in the western part of South America.
_Andorra._ Semi-independent republic in the Pyrenees, controlled by
France. The language is Catalan. In French: Andorre.
_Angola._ Portuguese dependency in western Africa.
_Angora._ Province of Turkey and city in the province. Now one of the
capitals of the republic.
_Annam._ French protectorate in Indo-China, also called Anam. Nominally
a kingdom.
_Annapolis._ Capital of Maryland, seat of U. S. Naval Academy.
_Antarctic._ Ocean around South Pole.
_Antilles._ West Indies, islands in Atlantic, off Central America and
southern North America, or two groups of them.
_Antioch._ City of Syria, important in ancient times.
_Antipodes._ Lands on the opposite side of globe, as Australasia. A
group of islands near and under the control of New Zealand.
_Antwerp._ Capital of province of same name, chief city of Belgium,
important industrially and commercially.
_Appalachian._ Mountain system in eastern North America.
_Arabia._ Peninsula of southwestern Asia. Political divisions include
Aden, Asir, Hejaz, Jebel Shammar, Kuweit, Nejd and Hasa, Oman, and
Yemen.
_Aragon._ Old kingdom, now part of Spain.
_Arcadia._ Ancient country of Greece. This mountainous district was
supposed to be occupied by contented shepherds. The name is often to
be found in literature, sometimes under the poetical form of Arcady.
Literary Arcadia owes much to Virgil, Sannazzaro, and Sidney.
_Archangel._ Russian city, of interest because it is farther north than
any other of equal importance. Base of operations against Bolshevists.
_Arctic._ Ocean around North Pole.
_Argentina_ or _Argentine Republic_. One of the greatest countries of
South America.
_Argos._ A town in Argolis, Greece, still in existence, but recorded
here for its ancient importance. In Homer, Argos stands sometimes for
the town itself, sometimes for the region of Argolis or for Agamemnon’s
kingdom, or even for the entire Peloponnesus. The “Argives” are all the
Greeks assembled against Troy in most cases.
_Armenia._ Ancient country of Asia, at one time divided between Roman
and Persian Empires, Recently, divided among Russia, Persia, and
Turkey. The Christians of A. evidently took considerable pleasure in
being massacred by the Turks. (Russian) Armenia is one in the Union of
Socialist Soviet Republics. In the Bible: Minni.
_Aroostook._ River and county in Maine. The county depends largely upon
the potato crop.
_Asia._ Continent of the Old World. With Europe, part of Eurasia. A. is
the largest of the continents, and it is very likely the place where
civilization first arose. Area: 17,040,000 sq. mi. Name applied by
ancients to the western part of Asia Minor, to the whole continent, to
a Roman province formed out of the kingdom of Pergamus.
_Asia Minor_ or _Anatolia_. Roughly, the part of Asia north of the
Mediterranean Sea. Long part of the Ottoman Empire.
_Athens._ The center of ancient Greek culture and capital of Attica.
Now a flourishing city and the capital of Greece. Has been under Roman,
Byzantine, and Turkish rule. Most celebrated for antique remains.
_Atlantic._ Ocean dividing Europe and Africa from America. Sometimes
considered as two oceans, North and South Atlantic.
_Atlantis._ According to old tradition, a great island in the Atlantic,
swallowed up by the ocean because of the wickedness of its inhabitants.
_Atlas._ System of mountains in northwestern Africa, where Atlas, son
of Iapetus, is said once to have held up the skies.
_Australasia._ Arbitrary term used in maps to describe a part of
the earth, including Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, and the Fiji
Islands. Sometimes many other island groups are also included.
_Australia._ Continent of the southern hemisphere, between Indian and
Pacific Oceans. May be considered an island rather than a continent.
The Commonwealth of Australia is an autonomous part of the British
Empire. Area: 2,948,000 sq. mi.
_Austria._ Republic of Europe, once part of the Austro-Hungarian
Empire. Has now only an area of about 32,000 sq. mi.
_Avignon._ Old city of southern France, once called Avenio by the
Romans. Has been a republic, part of Papal States, seat of the Popes.
_Azerbaijan._ One of the Socialist Soviet Republics. Formerly a Persian
province. Between Armenia and the Caspian Sea.
_Azores._ Portuguese islands in the Atlantic Ocean.
_Babylon._ Great city of antiquity. Built on both banks of the
Euphrates, long subject to Assyrian Empire, then the capital of
Babylonia.
_Bagdad._ City of Mesopotamia, now in Iraq. Still of some importance.
_Bahia._ State of Brazil and its capital, the oldest city of Brazil.
_Balearic._ Spanish islands in the Mediterranean.
_Balkan._ Mountain system in southeastern Europe, peninsula between
Black and Adriatic Seas. The Balkan countries may be said to include
Greece, Bulgaria, Albania, Jugo-Slavia (with Montenegro), and Rumania.
_Baltimore._ Important seaport city of Maryland.
_Baluchistan._ Country in British India, of which part is divided into
native states.
_Bangkok._ Chief commercial city of Siam, also the capital.
_Barbados_, also _Barbadoes_. The most eastward of the West Indian
islands. British colony.
_Barcelona._ Province of Spain and its capital, seaport and important
city.
_Basel._ In French: Bâle. Swiss canton and city in it; manufacturing,
commercial, university town.
_Basque_ or _Biscayan_. The region and language of the western
Pyrenees. Basque provinces of Spain include Vizcaya, Guipúzcoa, and
Álava.
_Batavia._ Dutch residency, bay, city, in East Indies. City is capital
and most important commercial center of Dutch East Indies. In ancient
writings and sometimes in modern ones, B. stands for the Netherlands
or the general district of the Low Countries. In French Revolutionary
times, there was a Batavian Republic in Europe. The Batavia were a
Celtic people, for a time allied with the Romans.
_Batum._ Province and city, formerly in Russian Empire, now in Georgia.
_Beirut._ Seaport of Syria, now under French control. In ancient times,
Berytus, a Phoenician port.
_Belfast._ Important commercial city in Northern Ireland, i.e., not in
the Free State. Center of linen trade.
_Belgium._ In French: Belgique. Kingdom of western Europe, part of the
Low Countries. Anciently, the territory of the Bellovaci, part of the
Belgae, a Germanic people.
_Belgrade._ In Serbian: Beograd. Capital of Jugo-Slavia, commercial
city and port.
_Benares._ District of India and its capital, an ancient city and a
holy place for the Hindus.
_Bengal._ Presidency of British India, including mouths of Ganges and
Brahmaputra. Bay, really part of Indian Ocean.
_Berlin._ Capital of Prussia and German Republic. One of the great
cities of the world, of historical as well as present importance.
_Bermuda._ Islands, British colony, 580 miles from North Carolina.
Haven for thirsty Americans.
_Berne_ or _Bern_. Canton of Switzerland and its capital, also the
capital of the country. Once a free city.
_Bethlehem._ Town in Palestine, traditionally the birthplace of the Son
of God. City in Pennsylvania, home of the Bethlehem Steel Company and
the Moravian Theological Seminary.
_Bhutan._ Nominally independent kingdom in the eastern Himalayas.
_Birmingham._ City, civic county and borough of Warwickshire, England.
Great manufacturing city, leading hardware center of the world. Also
manufacturing city of Alabama, and several smaller places in U. S.
_Biscay._ Bay, part of Atlantic, north of Spain and west of France.
_Biscayan._ See Basque.
_Black._ Sea, also called Euxine, south of European Russia. The Greeks
knew the sea at an early period, calling it Pontus or Pontus Euxinus.
_Blenheim_ or _Blindheim_. Village in Bavaria, Germany, where the
French were badly beaten in 1704.
_Boeotia._ District in ancient Greece. The Boeotians were proverbially
stupid.
_Bohemia._ Old kingdom, long a crownland of Austria, now part of
Czecho-Slovakia. In Bohemian (Czech): Cechy.
_Bokhara._ Country of central Asia, dependent upon Russia.
_Bolivia._ South American republic, west of Brazil.
_Bologna._ Italian city, the Felsina and Bononia of the ancients.
Capital of province of same name. Famous for medieval architecture,
modern commerce, and sausage.
_Bombay._ Governmental district of India, island, and city, capital of
the presidency. Great commercial city.
_Bordeaux._ French city of considerable antiquity. Port, university
city, famous for wine. Capital of France for a short time when Paris
was threatened during World War.
_Bosnia._ Former Turkish province. Annexation by Austria-Hungary one of
the causes of World War. Now in Jugo-Slavia.
_Bosporus._ Strait between Black and Marmora Seas. Of great political
and economic importance.
_Boston._ Capital and chief city of Massachusetts, “Hub of the
Universe” for New Englanders. City and port in Lincolnshire, England,
after which the American Boston was named.
_Bothnia._ Gulf extension of Baltic Sea between Finland and Sweden.
_Boulogne_ or _Boulogne-sur-Mer_, to distinguish it from
Boulogne-sur-Seine. Seaport of France, where Napoleon made preparations
for the invasion of England. B.-sur-Seine is a suburb of Paris.
_Brabant._ Old duchy, now divided between Belgium and Netherlands.
_Bradford._ City of Yorkshire, England. Textile manufacturing center.
Also a small city, B.-on-Avon, and various places in the U. S.
_Brahmaputra._ Important river of India.
_Brazil._ Officially, United States of Brazil. One of the great
countries of South America. Language: Portuguese. Climate mostly
tropical.
_Bremen._ German seaport city, long a free city and one member of the
Hanseatic League. The port of Bremen is called Bremerhaven.
_Breslau._ Capital of Silesia, Germany.
_Brest-Litovsk._ City of Grodno, Russia. Here was signed the treaty of
peace between Germany and Soviets, later annulled by the Allies.
_Bristol._ City of Gloucestershire, England, formerly second only to
London in importance, and a celebrated port. Cabot started to the New
World from B.
_Brittany._ In French: Bretagne. Old province of France. The people
of Brittany are called Bretons. The duchy was long independent of the
French crown, and was for a time an English fief.
_Bronx, the._ Borough of the city of New York, principally residential.
_Brooklyn._ Formerly a city of New York state, now part of the city of
New York.
_Bruges._ Capital of West Flanders, Belgium. Much more important in
middle ages than now. Many medieval buildings destroyed during World
War.
_Brussels._ Most important city of Belgium.
_Bucharest_ or _Bukharest_. In Roumanian: Bucuresti. Capital of
Roumania.
_Budapest_ or _Budapesth_. Capital of Hungary. Formed of two cities,
Buda and Pest, on opposite sides of the Danube.
_Buenos Aires._ Capital of Argentina, largest city of South America. Of
manufacturing, commercial, educational importance.
_Buffalo._ City of New York, of second importance in the state.
_Bukowina._ Former crownland of Austria, now in Roumania.
_Bulgaria._ Kingdom of Europe. Balkan state, formerly part of Turkish
Empire. Limited in area as penalty for joining Central Powers in World
War.
_Burgundy._ In French: Bourgogne. Former duchy, kingdom, province of
France. Acquired by France in eleventh century and then lost. At times
a dangerous rival to France. Burgundy wine is usually red.
_Burma._ Country of eastern India under British control.
_Byzantium._ A town on the Bosporus founded by the Megarians, built
anew by Constantine in 330 and called Constantinople.
_Cádiz._ Province of Spain and its capital, on the island of Leon. The
city, known to the Romans as Gades, was founded by the Phoenicians.
_Caen._ City in department of Calvados, France. Was an important place
in old Normandy.
_Cairo._ Capital and chief city of Egypt. Commercial, educational,
religious (Mohammedan) importance.
_Calais._ Seaport and fortified city of France, on English Channel.
_Calcutta._ Largest city of India, formerly capital.
_Caledonia._ For the Romans, the northern part of Britain. Now a poetic
name for Scotland.
_Cambridge._ University city of England. City of Massachusetts, near
Boston, seat of Harvard University.
_Canada._ Autonomous country in British Empire, north of U. S. Includes
provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova
Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, Prince Edward Island, and Saskatchewan, also
territory of Yukon and Northwest Territories.
_Canary._ Islands in Atlantic, ruled by Spain. Also, Canaries, and in
Spanish, Canarias.
_Canberra._ New capital of Australia.
_Canterbury._ City of Kent, England, chief center of Anglican Church.
Shrine of St. Thomas à Becket brought many pilgrims in middle ages.
_Canton._ In Chinese: Kwangchowfu. Capital of Kwang-fung, China. Great
commercial and manufacturing city, center of foreign trade.
_Cape Colony_ or _Cape Province_ or, now officially, _Cape of Good
Hope_. Province in Union of South Africa.
_Capetown._ Also: Cape Town. Capital of Cape of Good Hope, legislative
seat of Union of South Africa. Founded by the Dutch.
_Cappadocia._ Ancient district of Asia Minor. Tiberius made C. a Roman
province.
_Cardiff._ City of Glamorganshire, Wales. Important for coal trade.
_Caria._ Ancient district of southwestern Asia Minor. Part of the Roman
province of Asia.
_Caribbean._ Sea south of the West Indies.
_Carinthia._ Former crownland of Austria, now in Austrian Republic. In
German: Kärnten.
_Carmel._ Mountain of Palestine. Holy place for many centuries. Here,
biblically, Jehovah proved himself to be a greater god than Baal by
sending down fire from heaven.
_Carniola._ In German: Krain. Former crownland of Austria, now divided
between Italy and Jugo-Slavia.
_Carpathian._ Mountains, now chiefly in Czecho-Slovakia and Roumania,
before the World War mostly in Hungarian territory.
_Carthage._ One of the most important and most celebrated cities of
the ancient world, called Carthago or Magna Carthago by the Romans.
Located in Africa, northeast of Tunis. Founded by the Phoenicians. The
Carthaginians built up a state rivalling that of Rome.
_Caspian._ Sea or lake. By far the largest saltwater lake in the world.
Surrounded by European and Asian Soviet Republics and Persia.
_Castile._ In Spanish: Castilla. Former kingdom of Spain. Castilian is
literary and standard Spanish.
_Catalonia._ In Spanish: Cataluña. Former division of Spain. The
inhabitants of C. are called Catalans. The Catalan language is spoken
in part of northern Spain and southern France.
_Catania._ Province of Sicily and its capital, Catana or Catina of the
ancients. Founded B. C. 730, came under Roman rule in the first Punic
war. At the foot of Mt. Etna, and has suffered much from earthquakes
and volcanic disturbances.
_Caucasus._ Mountains dividing Europe from Asia, in Soviet territory
between Black and Caspian Seas.
_Cawnpore_ or _Cawnpur_. District of British India and its capital, an
important railroad junction. Scene of massacre of English residents in
Sepoy rebellion.
_Celebes._ Island in Dutch East Indies.
_Chaeronea._ Ancient town in Boeotia, where Philip of Macedon won a
great victory and Sulla defeated Mithridates.
_Chalcedon._ Old Greek city at the entrance of the Bosporus, opposite
Byzantium. Long independent, then subject to Bithynia.
_Chalcis._ Several ancient towns. An important city of Euboea, town in
Aetolia, city of Syria.
_Chaldea._ Old Babylonian province. Name also applied to all Babylonia.
_Châlons-sur-Marne._ City of France, capital of department of Marne,
place where Attila’s Huns were defeated, A. D. 451.
_Champagne._ Old province of France. Champagne wine is usually white
and sparkling.
_Changchowfu._ City of Fukien, China.
_Changsha._ Capital of Hunan, China. Treaty port.
_Changteh._ City of Hunan, China.
_Charlottenburg._ Important suburb of Berlin, Germany.
_Chautauqua._ Township of western New York, where summer courses are
conducted.
_Chemnitz._ City of Saxony, Germany.
_Cheng-tu_ or _Ching-tu_ (sometimes without hyphens). City of Szechuan,
China.
_Cherbourg._ Port and naval station of Manche Department, France.
_Chersonesus._ Greek word for peninsula. Without qualifications, it
meant for the Greeks Gallipoli, peninsula of the Dardanelles. C.
Taurica or Scythica was Crimea. Gallipoli is also called Chersonese.
_Cheshire_ or _Chester_. County of England. A Cheshire cat is a person
with a fixed grin.
_Chicago._ Second city of U. S. County seat of Cook County, Illinois.
Founded, as Fort Dearborn, in 1804.
_Chile_ or _Chili_. Important republic of South America.
_China._ Great Asiatic republic, before 1912 an empire. People of China
possess an ancient and significant civilization. Although C. is not a
“great power,” i.e., is of small military strength, and has been the
scene of exploitation by European and other well-armed countries, it
must be reckoned with, even as a potential maker of war.
_China._ Sea, part of Pacific Ocean, south and east of China.
_Chosen._ See Korea.
_Christiania._ See Oslo.
_Chungking._ City of Szechuan, China.
_Cincinnati._ City of Ohio, on Ohio River, manufacturing and commercial
center.
_Cleveland._ Largest city of Ohio.
_Cochin China._ French colony, part of French Indo-China.
_Colchis_ or _Aea_. District of Asia, south of Caucasus Mountains,
important in Greek legend.
_Cologne._ In German: Köln. District of German Rhine Provinces and
its capital, of great historical importance. Once renowned for its
perfumery.
_Colombia._ Republic of South America. Has been known as New Granada,
Granadine Confederation, United States of Colombia.
_Colombo._ Capital of Ceylon, a British colony.
_Colophon._ Old Ionian (Greek) city which claimed to be the birthplace
of Homer.
_Colorado._ State, river, desert, of U. S.
_Congo._ River and country of Africa. The old Congo Free State is now a
Belgian colony.
_Constance._ In German: Konstanz, also Kostnitz. City of Baden,
Germany, important historically.
_Constantinople._ Turkish: Istamboul. City of Turkey in Europe, on
the Bosporus. Of international significance because of its location,
at entrance to Black Sea, and because it is the modern center of
Mohammedanism, at least in Turkey. Has been an important Christian
center and capital of (Eastern) Roman Empire. On the site of old
Byzantium. Long the capital of Ottoman Empire, now one of the capitals
of Turkey.
_Copenhagen._ Danish: Köbenhavn or Kjobenhavn. Capital and fortified
seaport of Denmark. Great commercial city, cultural center of
Scandinavia.
_Cordova._ Spanish: Córdoba. Province of Spain and its capital.
_Corea._ See Korea.
_Corfu._ Island in Ionian Sea, known to the Greeks of antiquity as
Corcyra, seat of an important Corinthian colony.
_Corinth._ Isthmus of Greece; ancient city located on it, whose
territory was known as Corinthia. Important commercial and colonizing
city of ancient times. The city on its site is now known as New
Corinth. There is also a Gulf of C. or Lepanto, north of Corinthia.
_Corsica._ Island in Mediterranean, north of Sardinia. French
department. In French: Corse.
_Costa Rica._ Republic of Central America.
_Cressy._ French: Crécy or Crécy-en-Ponthieu. Place in France where
Edward the Black Prince badly defeated the French in 1346.
_Crete_ or _Candia_. Island in the Mediterranean belonging to Greece.
The ancient Creta, with a civilization of some importance in Homeric
times. Much later, a Roman province.
_Crimea._ Russian: Krim. Peninsula of Russia. Chersonesus Taurica of
the ancients.
_Croatia._ Formerly a Hungarian crownland, now in Jugo-Slavia. People
of C. are called Croats, their Slavic language is Croatian.
_Ctesiphon._ Old city of Assyria, winter residence of the kings of
Parthia.
_Cuba._ Republic. Island of West Indies. The language is Spanish.
_Czechoslovakia._ Republic formed after the World War, composed of
Bohemia, Moravia, Slovakia, Southern Ruthenia, and Silesia. Languages
spoken include Bohemian or Czech, German, and Ruthenian, which is
practically the same as Ukrainian.
_Damascus._ One of the oldest cities of the world. Has been under
Syrian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Greek, Roman, Turkish rule. This
pleasant and commercially important Syrian city is now under French
control.
_Danube._ Important river of Europe, flowing into Black Sea.
_Danzig_ or _Dantsic_. Free international city, formerly part of
Prussia, Germany. Seaport, manufacturing center, with an interesting
history.
_Dardanelles._ Strait between Aegean Sea and Sea of Marmora, now
between Greek and Turkish (Asian) territory. The whole area of the
Straits, waters connecting Black and Mediterranean Seas, with adjacent
land, has been demilitarized.
_Dauphiné._ Former province of France. The heir to French throne was
formerly called the Dauphin, that is, ruler of D.
_Dead._ Sea, salt lake in Palestine.
_Delhi._ Province of British India and its capital, also capital of
Indian Empire. An ancient city.
_Delos._ Island in Aegean Sea, seat of worship of Apollo. Games were
held here every five years in ancient times.
_Delphi._ Small town in Phocis, in old Greece, famous for oracle. In
Homer: Pytho. Pythian games were celebrated at D.
_Denmark._ Danish: Danmark. Kingdom of northern Europe, one of the
Scandinavian countries. Includes northern part of peninsula of Jutland
and a group of islands.
_Denver._ Capital of Colorado, one of the chief cities of Mountain
States.
_Detroit._ Chief city of Michigan, center of automobile industry.
_Dnieper._ Important river of Russia.
_Dniester._ European river, boundary between Roumania and Soviet
Republics (Ukrainia).
_Dominican Republic_ or _Santo Domingo_. Republic, eastern part of the
island of Haiti. Population largely colored.
_Douai_ or _Douay_. French city, damaged in World War. Here Bible
translation of the English Catholics was published.
_Dresden._ Capital of Saxony, Germany; of great historical interest.
_Dublin._ Capital of Ireland. Part of its interesting history is an
occupation by the Danes in the middle ages.
_Dvina._ River of Russia, also known as the Northern D., flowing
into the Gulf of D., a branch of White Sea. Another river, no longer
entirely Russian, known also as the Western D., or the Düna, flowing
into the Gulf of Riga.
_East Indies._ Somewhat indefinite name, applied usually to Malay
Archipelago, sometimes still inclusive of India and Indo-China.
Formerly the Indies, without qualification; but the application of
the name Indies to islands near the American mainland caused the
differentiation.
_Eboracum._ Chief Roman town in Britain, now the English city of York.
_Ecuador._ Republic of South America.
_Edinburgh._ City of Scotland, long the capital and, historically,
the most important place in the country. The university is old and
celebrated.
_Egypt._ Country of northern Africa under English control. In effect, a
British colony. Land of very ancient civilization and history both old
and varied. E. fell under Turkish rule in 1517, and remained nominally
part of the Ottoman Empire until the World War. Arabic has been for
some time the chief language.
_Elba._ Mediterranean island belonging to Italy. Napoleon was sent to
Elba upon his first downfall.
_Elis._ Ancient country of Greece, considered sacred because of the
games at Olympia.
_England._ A division of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland. Because of its dominance, its name is sometimes applied
loosely to the whole country and its empire. The adjective especially
is used in this way, and we say “English” or “British” of a colony
without change in meaning.
_English Channel._ The channel that separates England from France and
connects Straits of Dover (leading to North Sea) with the Atlantic.
_Ephesus._ Ancient Ionian city on the coast of Asia Minor. Here stood
a famous temple to Artemis. E. fell under the successive control of
Lydia, Persia, Macedonia, and Rome.
_Essen._ City of Rhenish Prussia, Germany. Here were located the Krupp
munition works. Many medieval remains.
_Esthonia._ Republic of northwestern Europe formed as a result of the
World War, made up of the old Russian government of E. and part of
Livonia. Esthonian, a Finnish dialect, is spoken, as well as German,
Russian, and other languages.
_Ethiopia._ Old country of Africa. The adjectives and nouns Ethiopic
and Ethiopian may refer to a Semitic language or the race of
dark-skinned peoples including the Negroes.
_Etruria_ or _Tuscia_ or (Greek) _Tyrrhenia_. Ancient country in
central Italy. The Romans called the inhabitants Tuscans. Much of the
Roman civilization was of Tuscan origin.
_Euphrates._ Important river of western Asia.
_Eurasia._ Europe and Asia. The two are customarily considered as
separate continents, and probably it would be inconvenient to give
up the old names, but the map shows that they are really one, the
continent of Eurasia. It is not so much the mountains between as
cultural differences which separate Europe and Asia. Russia was long,
and in some ways still remains, an Asian country in this respect.
_Europe._ Continent, part of Eurasia (q. v.). Has been called a
peninsula of Asia, to emphasize the fact that it is much smaller--the
area is about 3,789,000 sq. mi. Nevertheless, the world has been and is
being Europeanized. It is true, indeed, that much which we consider
European arose in western Asia, and that New York is tending to become
the great center of European civilization. For an American, the most
important thing to realize is the great variety of languages and
national institutions to be found within a small space.
_Everest._ Mountain, one of the Himalayas, believed to be the highest
in the world.
_Fez._ One of the capitals of Morocco.
_Fiji._ British colony, islands in the Pacific.
_Finland._ Formerly a grand duchy ruled by Russian czars. Still
earlier, occupied by Lapps, ruled by Sweden. Now a republic. The Finns
and Lapps are not of the Aryan race, but of the Mongol group. The Finns
call themselves Suomi. Culturally, Finland has been closer to Sweden
than to Russia.
_Fiume._ Free city on the Adriatic, formerly belonging to Hungary,
claimed by both Italy and Jugo-Slavia, now Italian.
_Flanders._ Country of Europe divided among Netherlands, Belgium, and
France. The language of F., Flemish, is a dialect of Dutch. It has
recently been revived for literary purposes.
_Flodden._ Hill in England. At the Battle of Flodden Field, 1513, King
James IV of Scotland was defeated and killed.
_Florence._ Italian: Firenze. Capital of Tuscany, Italy. Celebrated for
history and art.
_Foochow._ Capital of Fukien, China. Treaty port.
_Formosa._ Island north of Philippines, belonging to Japan. Also called
Taiwan.
_Fort Sumter._ Fortress in harbor of Charleston, South Carolina, where
the Civil War began.
_France._ Republic of western Europe.
_Franche-Comté._ Former French province.
_Franconia._ Former duchy of Germany.
_Frankfurt-am-Main._ English: Frankfurt-on-the-Main. City of
Hesse-Nassau, Prussia, Germany. Was capital of the German Confederation.
_Galatia._ Ancient country of Asia Minor, settled by Gauls.
_Galicia._ Old kingdom of Spain. Also former (Polish) crownland of
Austria.
_Galilee._ In the Greek period, the name for northwestern Palestine. A
Roman province. A Galilean means a Christian, as the word is now most
used.
_Gallipoli._ Peninsula north of Dardanelles. The Entente Allies tried
unsuccessfully during the World War to capture Constantinople, landing
troops here. See also Chersonesus.
_Ganges._ Important river of India, flowing into Bay of Bengal.
_Gascony._ French: Gascogne. Former province of France. The Gascons
were supposed to be boastful swaggerers.
_Gaul_ or _Gallia_. In Roman times, the country occupied by the Galli
or Celtae. Gaul was divided into three parts: Aquitania, Celtica,
and Belgica. It consisted of the present France and some neighboring
sections. Gallia Cisalpina was a Roman province in the north of Italy.
_Geneva._ German: Genf. Canton of Switzerland and its capital, which is
of interest in many ways. Associated with Rousseau and Calvin. Now the
seat of the League of Nations. French: Genève.
_Genoa._ Italian: Genova. Important Italian commercial city and port.
Of great historical significance.
_German Ocean._ Name sometimes applied to North Sea.
_Germany._ Republic of Europe, formerly an Empire. In German:
Deutschland. The Germania of the Romans did not occupy precisely the
same territory as modern Germany, extending to the Baltic and the
Carpathian Mountains. The medieval organization was feudal, with the
Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation including many non-German
districts. Bismarck organized the German Empire (Reich) with the king
of Prussia at the head. Many German districts are now outside the
republic. The treaties which followed the World War forbade Germany and
Austria to unite.
_Ghent._ French: Gand. Capital of East Flanders, Belgium. Of great
historical interest.
_Gibraltar._ Fortified rock and town, a British possession
commanding Strait of G., entrance to Mediterranean Sea. On Iberian
(Spanish-Portuguese) Peninsula.
_Glasgow._ A Scottish city on the Clyde. Said to have been founded in
the sixth century. The greatest manufacturing and commercial center of
Scotland.
_Göteborg_ or _Gothenburg_. Important city of Sweden. Port.
_Great Britain._ England, Scotland, and Wales, as an island, or, before
the addition of Ireland, as a kingdom. Used often instead of the more
cumbersome title of “the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.”
Only a part of Ireland remains united, incidentally.
_Greece._ Greek: Hellas. Republic of Europe, also a memory of ancient
glory. The modern Greeks are not pure descendants of the ancient people
who occupied the country.
_Greenland._ Danish: Grönland. Large island northeast of North America,
part of which is under Danish control. Much of it is always covered
with ice.
_Greenwich._ Borough of London where an important observatory is
located.
_Greenwich Village._ Former village, but long in the most
thickly-settled part of the city of New York. Center of “Bohemian” and
artistic life, not to mention bootleggers and cellar dance-halls where
the smoke can be cut with knife and fork.
_Guatemala._ Republic of Central America and its capital, also called
G. la Nueva.
_Guiana._ Region on Atlantic coast of South America, including British,
French, and Dutch G., which are colonies, and parts of Brazil and
Venezuela. The name is sometimes confined to the three colonies.
_Guinea._ Region on Atlantic coast of Africa.
_Hague, The._ Dutch: ’s Gravenhage. Capital of the Netherlands and seat
of the World Court.
_Haiti_ or _Hayti_. Island of West Indies, formerly a French colony,
and a republic occupying the western part of the island. Strongly
influenced by U. S.
_Halle-an-der-Saale._ City of Prussian Saxony, Germany. Was a member of
the Hanseatic League. Has a celebrated university.
_Hamburg._ Free city of Germany, of great commercial importance. Was a
member of the Hanseatic League.
_Hangchow._ City of Chekiang, China.
_Hankow._ City of Yangtse, China. Treaty port.
_Hanover._ German: Hannover. Province of Prussia, Germany, and its
capital.
_Hanseatic League._ Commercial and defensive union of mostly German
cities in the middle ages. The members were called Hanse or Hansa Towns.
_Havana._ Spanish: Habana. Province of Cuba and its capital, also the
capital of the republic. Important commercial city and port.
_Hawaiian_ or _Sandwich Islands_. Colony of U. S. in Pacific.
_Hebrides._ Islands west of Scotland.
_Heidelberg._ University city of Baden, Germany.
_Hejaz_ or _Hedjaz_. One of the new states which arose from the World
War. In Arabia, formerly a Turkish administrative unit.
_Helicon._ Range of mountains in Boeotia, Greece, which was sacred to
Apollo and the Muses in ancient times. Here Aganippe and Hippocrene,
fountains of the Muses, poured forth their waters.
_Hellas._ Greek name, also poetic term, for Greece.
_Helsingfors._ Finnish: Helsinki. Capital of Finland.
_Herat._ City in Afghanistan, of military importance.
_Herculaneum._ Ancient city in Campania, Italy, destroyed by the
eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in A. D. 79.
_Herzegovina._ Former Turkish province, then under Austrian rule with
Bosnia, now part of Jugo-Slavia.
_Himalayan._ Mountains, also called the Himalayas, north of India.
_Hindustan._ India; specifically, a large region in the north.
_Hispania._ Latin name for Iberian peninsula.
_Holland._ Popular name for the Netherlands, on account of the
dominating position of the province so called. H. proper is now divided
into two provinces, North and South H.
_Holstein._ Former duchy of Denmark, later part of Prussia with
Schleswig. See Schleswig-Holstein.
_Honduras._ Republic of Central America.
_Hongkong._ Island on Chinese coast, British colony, and its capital,
also known as Victoria, a free port and important commercial center.
_Honolulu._ Capital of territory of Hawaii.
_Honshu_ or _Hondo_. Principal island of Japan.
_Hungary._ The country of the Magyars, formerly a kingdom bound to the
Austrian Empire chiefly through a common monarch. Lost much territory
during World War.
_Iberia._ Greek name for the peninsula where Spain and Portugal now
are, called the Iberian Peninsula in modern times also. Also the
ancient name for a region in Asia north of Armenia.
_Iceland._ Danish island in the Atlantic.
_Ilium._ Troy, the ancient city.
_Illyria._ Ancient country, including regions now known as Albania,
Croatia, Dalmatia, and Bosnia. Part of Illyria was formed into the
Roman province of Illyricum.
_India._ Country or region of Asia. The Indian Empire, which does not
include all of India, is British. The native states are included in the
empire, but not French and Portuguese India.
_Indianapolis._ Capital and chief city of Indiana.
_Indian Ocean._ Body of water south of India, east of Africa, west of
Australia.
_Indo-China._ Asian peninsula south and west of China.
_Indus._ Great river of India.
_Ionia._ Ancient region on the western coast of Asia Minor, settled by
Ionian Greeks.
_Irak_ or _Iraq_. Mesopotamia. Nominally independent, but under British
control.
_Iran._ Persian name for Persia, q. v.
_Ireland._ An island, one of the British Isles. Now divided between the
(Catholic, nationalistic) Irish Free State, where an attempt has been
made to revive the old language, Gaelic, and Northern I., still closely
bound to Great Britain.
_Irish Sea._ Part of the Atlantic, between Ireland and northern England.
_Ispahan._ City of Persia, former capital, of historic importance.
_Istria._ Former Austrian crownland, now Italian.
_Italy._ Italian: Italia. This is also the form used by the Romans
beginning in the time of Augustus. Kingdom of Europe.
_Ithaca._ Island in the Ionian Sea and ancient city where Homer’s
Odysseus reigned.
_Jaffa._ In ancient times: Joppa. Port of Palestine.
_Jamaica._ British island of the West Indies.
_Japan._ Japanese: Nippon. Asiatic empire, the “great power” of the
Orient.
_Java._ Dutch island in the East Indies.
_Jena._ City of Saxe-Weimar, Germany. University. Napoleon routed the
Prussians at J. in 1806.
_Jerusalem._ Capital of Palestine. Of immense historical and religious
importance. Holy to Jews, Mohammedans, and Christians.
_Johannesburg._ City of Transvaal, Union of South Africa
_Jordan._ Most important river of Palestine. Here, according to the
Bible, many miracles took place.
_Judah._ Kingdom of southern Palestine, ruled by “the house of David”
from Jerusalem.
_Judea._ Roman province in Palestine. Also a name for Israel, Jewry, in
general.
_Jugo-Slavia._ Also spelled: Yugo-Slavia. The country of the southern
Slavs, made up of Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Dalmatia, Bosnia, and
Montenegro. Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes.
_Kabul._ Capital of Afghanistan.
_Kansas City._ Important packing and commercial center on the Missouri
River, chiefly in Missouri, also in Kansas (two separate cities).
_Khartum._ Capital of Sudan, Africa.
_Kiaochow._ City and district of Shantung, China, taken from Germany by
Japan.
_Kiel._ City of Holstein, Prussia, Germany. Formerly a great German
naval station. University. Eastern terminus of K. or Kaiser Wilhelm
Canal, connecting Baltic and North Seas.
_Kiev._ Also _Kief_ or _Kieff_. Important city of Ukrania, Soviet
Republics, of great antiquity.
_Kingston-on-Hull_ or _Hull_. City and port of Yorkshire, England.
_Kishinev._ Capital of Bessarabia, now in Roumania. Scene of Jewish
massacres under Russian rule.
_Königsberg._ Capital of East Prussia, Germany.
_Korea._ Also _Corea_ or _Chosen_. Formerly independent country of
Asia, since 1910 ruled by Japan.
_Kovno._ Capital of Lithuania. Lithuanian: Kaunas.
_Kurland_ or _Courland_. Former duchy and Russian province, now in
Latvia.
_Laconica_ or _Laconia_. A country of Greece, ruled from Sparta
(Lacedaemon).
_Lahore._ Capital of Punjab, India.
_Lanchow_ or _Lanchowfu_. Capital of Kansu, China.
_Languedoc._ Former province of France.
_Latium._ Country of ancient Italy, occupied by Latini. Rome struggled
long against L., finally dissolving Latin League.
_Latvia._ Republic formed out of Russian territory after World War.
_Leicester._ Capital of Leicestershire, England.
_Leipzig_ or _Leipsic_. City of Saxony, Germany. Publishing center. At
Battle of L. or of the Nations, 1813, Napoleon was badly defeated.
_Lemberg._ Polish: Lwów. City of East Galicia, Poland. Formerly ruled
by Austria-Hungary. There was hard fighting around L. during World War.
_Leningrad._ Formerly St. Petersburg, Petersburg, Petrograd. Great
city, formerly capital, of Russia. Founded by Peter the Great as a
window opening out on Western Europe.
_Lesbos._ Island in the Aegean Sea. Birthplace of Sappho. _Lesbian_
sometimes means pertaining to homosexuality between females.
_Levant._ The eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, its islands and
coastal districts.
_Liberia._ Negro republic in Africa.
_Liechtenstein._ Petty principality between Austria and Switzerland.
_Lille._ City of northern France, around which there was much fighting
in the World War.
_Lisbon._ Portuguese: Lisboa. Capital and important city of Portugal.
The earthquake of 1755 caused great destruction.
_Lithuania._ One of the states formed in Europe after the World War.
The Lithuanian Republic claims the Vilna district, now held by Poland.
_Liverpool._ City of Lancashire, England, second port of Great Britain,
of educational and commercial importance.
_Lodz._ City of Piotrkow, Poland, formerly Russian.
_Loire._ River of France.
_London._ Capital and most important city of the United Kingdom. One of
the great world cities; in population inferior to New York (including
suburbs in each case).
_Lorraine._ An old duchy of Germany, incorporated in France, part of
which came into German Alsace-Lorraine. Now all French.
_Los Angeles._ City of southern California, center of motion picture
production.
_Louisville._ City of Kentucky, on Ohio River.
_Low Countries._ The old Netherlands; the present Belgium, Luxemburg,
and Netherlands.
_Luxemburg._ Independent grand duchy of Europe, now in economic union
with Belgium.
_Lydia._ Ancient division of Asia Minor, early seat of civilization.
_Lyons._ French: Lyon. Important city of France, silk manufacturing
center.
_Macedonia._ Ancient country north of Greece, whose rulers, Philip
and Alexander, built up an empire which was finally overthrown by the
Romans. Most of M. belongs now to Greece and Jugo-Slavia.
_Madagascar._ Large island, French colony, off the east coast of Africa.
_Madras._ Presidency of British India and its capital.
_Madrid._ Province of Spain and its capital, also the capital and
principal city of the kingdom.
_Maeander_ or _Meander_. River of Asia Minor noted for its wandering
course, now called the Menderez.
_Magdeburg._ Capital of Prussian Saxony, Germany. Scene of a massacre
in the Thirty Years’ War.
_Magellan._ Strait between Tierra del Fuego and South American mainland.
_Mainz_ or _Mayence_. City of Hesse, Germany, of historical and
ecclesiastical importance. Located on the Rhine.
_Majorca._ Largest of Balearic Islands, in the Mediterranean.
_Malta._ Island and British colony in the Mediterranean Sea.
_Manchester._ City of Lancashire, most important industrial center of
England.
_Manchuria._ Country of Asia, a Chinese dependency.
_Mandalay._ Capital of British Upper Burma.
_Manhattan._ Borough of New York City, also island. Here are located
the most important offices and many of the factories of the city. M. is
the original New York, and still the heart of the city.
_Manila._ Capital of Luzon and of Philippine Islands, on Pasig River
and Manila Bay. Great hemp market.
_Marathon._ Village of ancient Attica, where the Athenians and the
Persians fought an important battle, B. C. 490.
_Marmora._ Sea between Bosporus and Dardanelles, called Propontis
by the ancients. All these waters have been of immense political
importance.
_Marne._ River of France, scene of two important battles in World War.
_Marseilles._ French: Marseille. Second city of France, leading port.
Located on Gulf of Lyons.
_Masurian._ Lakes and canals in East Prussia. Region where Russian
armies were badly beaten during World War.
_Mauritius._ Island in the Indian Ocean, British colony.
_Mecca._ City of Hedjaz, Arabia. Holy city of Islam, birthplace of
Mohammed.
_Medicine Hat._ Small city of Alberta, Canada, often mentioned in
weather reports.
_Medina._ City of Hedjaz, Arabia. Holy city of Islam.
_Mediterranean._ Important sea, almost entirely enclosed by Europe,
Asia, and Africa.
_Melbourne._ Capital of Victoria, Australia. Important commercially.
_Memphis._ Great city and for a time the capital of ancient Egypt.
Modern city of southwestern Tennessee.
_Mesopotamia._ Region between the rivers Euphrates and Tigris. See Irak.
_Mexico._ Spanish: Méjico. Mexican Spanish: México. Republic of North
America, south of the United States.
_Mexico._ Gulf, north and east of Mexican Republic.
_Milan._ Italian: Milano. Province of Italy and its capital, second
city of the kingdom. Great manufacturing center.
_Miletus._ Ancient city of Asia Minor, of philosophical interest.
_Milwaukee._ Chief city of Wisconsin, on Lake Michigan.
_Minneapolis._ City of Minneapolis, flour center. With St. Paul, one of
the “Twin Cities.” On the Mississippi.
_Mississippi._ Important river of the United States. The M.-Missouri is
considered by geographers the longest river of the world.
_Monaco._ Petty independent principality on the Mediterranean,
surrounded on land sides by French territory.
_Mongolia._ Country of Asia dependent on China.
_Monte Carlo._ Gambling resort of Monaco.
_Montenegro._ Former Balkan kingdom, now part of Jugo-Slavia.
_Montevideo._ Capital of Uruguay.
_Montreal._ City of Quebec, Canada, on the St. Lawrence River. Most
important place in Canada.
_Moravia._ Former crownland of Austria, now in Czecho-Slovakia.
_Morea._ Southern peninsula of Greece. Peloponnesus.
_Morocco._ Country of northern Africa, controlled chiefly by France and
in part by Spain.
_Moscow._ Province of Russia and its capital, also the capital of the
country. Founded in the twelfth century.
_Munich._ German: München. Capital of Bavaria, Germany. The art
collections, university, and breweries are all important.
_Mycenae._ Ancient town in Argolis, Greece. Important in Homeric times.
_Mysia._ Ancient district of Asia Minor, at one time part of the
kingdom of Pergamus.
_Mytilene._ Modern name for Lesbos, q. v. Chief city of Lesbos.
_Nanking._ Capital of Kiangsu, China, and literary center of the
country. Treaty port.