Columbia Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description

Note: The similar sounding country uses a different spelling--see Colombia.

Columbia is a name used in the English language for many things and places. The name is derived from that of Christopher Columbus. The term "Pre-Columbian" is used for American cultures before the arrival of Columbus and other European explorers.

The name "Columbia" is/was a poetic name for the United States of America, which largely fell out of use in the early 20th century.

Columbia was also a female personification of the USA, similar to the male Uncle Sam, often seen in political cartoons through the early 20th century (see illustration at right) and still used by Columbia Pictures.

The term Columbian has been occasionally used as an alternative word for American when referring to someone from the United States, but has not entered general use, not least because of its confusing similarity to Colombian.

Things named Columbia include:

• Columbia University
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)
• Columbia Motors, early 20th century automobile company
• Columbia Records (now part of Sony Music Entertainment)
• Columbia Pictures, film production company
• Mt. Columbia (4290m/14,073'), mountain in Colorado
• Mt. Columbia (3747m/12,294'), highest point in Alberta
• Space shuttle Columbia
• USS Columbia, several ships of the US Navy
• Columbium, a former name for the element niobium.
• Columbia NX-02, a fictional starship on the television series (named in honor of the space shuttle).
• Columbia, a supercomputer owned by NASA.

Places named "Columbia" include:

• Republic of Colombia (note different spelling)
• Columbia River
• British Columbia
• District of Columbia
• Columbia, Connecticut
• Columbia, Illinois
• Columbia, Maryland
• Columbia, Mississippi
• Columbia, Missouri
• Columbia, New Jersey
• Columbia, New York
• Columbia, North Carolina
• Columbia, Pennsylvania
• Columbia, South Carolina
• Columbia, Tennessee
• Columbia City, Indiana
• Columbia County, Arkansas
• Columbia County, New York
• Columbia Heights, Minnesota
• Columbia Heights, Washington, DC
• Columbia Station, Ohio
• Columbia Township, Jackson County, Michigan
• Columbia Township, Tuscola County, Michigan
• Columbia Township, Van Buren County, Michigan

There is also the constellation Columba, the dove.

The term Columbia is also used to identify a type of railroad locomotive. In the Whyte notation, a Columbia is a type 2-4-2.

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