AA

AA. (pron. Ah), the name of several European rivers - in Westphalia, Switzerland, and North France - all small.

Aachen

Aachen (Ah'hen), the German name of Aix-la-Chapelle. Aalborg (Awl-borg; 'Eel-town'), a seaport of Jutland and seat of a bishopric, on the Limfiord. Pop. (1890) 19,503; (1901) 31,462.

Aalen

Aalen (Ah'len), a town of Wiirtemberg, on the Kocher, 46 miles E. of Stuttgart. Pop. 8805.

Aalesund

Aalesund (Awl-e-soond), a Norwegian town, with an excellent harbour, built on three small islands of the province of Romsdal. Pop. 11,700.

Aalst

Aalst. See Alost.

Aalten

Aalten, a Netherlands town, on the Aa, 30 miles E. of Arnhem. Pop. 7000.

Aan

A'an, or Avon, a small Banffshire lake, lying 2250 feet above sea-level among the Cairngorms, which sends off the Avon, 29 miles, to the Spey.

Aar

Aar (Ahr), next to the Rhine and Rhone the largest river in Switzerland, rises in the Bernese Oberland, flows through Lakes Brienz and Thun, and passing Interlaken, Thun, Berne, Soleure, and Aarau, joins the Rhine above Waldshut after a course of nearly 200 miles.

Aarau

Aarau (Ahr'os). See Aargau.

Aargau

Aargau (Ahr'gos; Fr. Argovie), the least mountainous canton of Switzerland, on the lower course of the Aar, with the Rhine for its north boundary. Area, 548 sq. m.; pop. (1900) 206,500, mainly Protestant and German-speaking. The chief town is Aarau, on the Aar. Pop. 7500.

Aarhuus

Aarhuus (Awr-hoos), a seaport on the east coast of Jutland, the second of Danish cities, with a fine Gothic cathedral of the 13th century. Pop. (1870) 15,025; (1890) 33,306 ; (1901) 51,850.

Abaco

Ab'aco. See Bahamas.

Abakansk

Abakansk, a fortified Siberian town, near the Abakan's junction with the Yenisei. Pop. 3000.

Ab'ana and Pharpar are identified generally, the former with the Barada, flowing through Damascus; the latter with the Awaj, which rises on the SE. slopes of Hermon, passes 8 miles from Damascus, and falls into a lake to the south.

Abancay

Abancay (Aban 'ki), chief town of the Peruvian province of Apurimac, 65 miles WSW. of Cuzco. Pop. 5000.

Abbazia

Abbazia (Abbatzee'a), a health-resort on the bay of Fiume, at the head of the Quarnero gulf of the Adriatic, 5 miles NW. of Fiume by rail. The 'Nice of the Adriatic' has since about 1880 become famous for its fine climate, beautiful situation, and luxuriant vegetation. Pop. 3000.

Abbeokuta

Abbeoku'ta, an African city, or rather collection of small towns or villages, capital of the territory of Egba, in the Yoruba country, 80 miles N. of Lagos. Pop. 150,000.

Abbeville

Abbeville (Abb-veel'), a prosperous manufacturing town in the French dep. of Somme, on the river Somme, 12 miles from its mouth, and 49 miles S. of Boulogne. The west front of the church of St Wolfram, commenced in the reign of Louis XII., is a splendid example of Flamboyant, with noble portals and rich tracery. The chief manufactures are woollen cloths, carpets, linens, sacking, and sugar. Near Abbeville were found, in 1841, many prehistoric flint implements. Pop. (1872) 18,108; (1901) 21,100.