studied at the University of Copenhagen.
Andersen’s first collection of tales for
young people was published in 1835. It
included the story “The Princess and the
Pea.” Andersen wrote his tales as if they
were being told out loud, often using
expressions that people heard every day.
He also drew on his own experiences to
create characters who were poor or even
outcasts.During his long writing career,
he wrote more than 200 stories. Andersen
also spent much time traveling
throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa, and
he wrote several travel books.He wrote
plays, poems, and novels, too. Andersen
died on August 4, 1875, in Copenhagen.
Anderson,
Marian
The singer Marian Anderson had a pure,
rich voice and could sing a great range
of parts. An African American, she is
also remembered for breaking down
barriers between blacks and whites in
the United States.
Anderson was born on February 27,
1897, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At
age 6 she began singing in her church
choir. At age 19 she studied singing
with a famous teacher who was so
A girl feeds the ducklings in an
illustration for the story “The
Ugly Duckling.”
116 Andersen, Hans Christian BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
impressed by her talent that he gave her
free lessons.
In 1925 Anderson gave a recital with the
New York Philharmonic Orchestra. But
because of her skin color, many opportunities
were closed to her in the United
States, where at the time blacks and
whites were often kept apart. Audiences
in other countries embraced Anderson,
however. In the 1930s she made successful
singing tours of Europe.
In 1939 Anderson was prevented from
arranging a concert inWashington, D.C.,
because blacks were not allowed in the
concert hall.Many Americans, including
First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, were
outraged. They arranged for her to sing
outside the LincolnMemorial instead,
and 75,000 people came to hear her.
In 1955 Anderson became the first African
American to perform with the
renowned Metropolitan Opera in New
York City. Two years later she published
My Lord, What a Morning, the story of
her life. Anderson died on April 8,
1993, in Portland, Oregon.
#More to explore
African Americans • Opera
Andes
The Andes Mountains of South America
are the longest mountain chain in the
world. The chain also contains the highest
mountains in the Americas. The
Andes were settled long ago by American
Indian peoples. They continue to
attract interest today because of their
mineral wealth.
Features
The AndesMountains stretch from north
to south along the entire western side of
South America. They separate a narrow
strip of land along the PacificOcean from
the rest of the continent. The Andes are
Marian Anderson sings at the Lincoln
Memorial in Washington, D.C.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Andes 117
about 5,500 miles (8,900 kilometers)
long and in most places are no wider than
200 miles (320 kilometers).
Many Andean peaks are higher than any
mountains in North America. At 22,831
feet (6,959 meters), Argentina’s Mount
Aconcagua is the highest mountain anywhere
in the world outside Asia.
Plants and Animals
Plant and animal life in the Andes varies
based on height and climate. The highest
peaks and some very dry places have
very few plants. But rainy parts of the
eastern Andes have lush tropical forests.
Animals of the Andes include pumas,
chinchillas, and several relatives of the
camel, including llamas, guanacos, and
alpacas. The Andean condor is a vulture
that is one of the world’s largest flying
birds.
People
Humans first settled in the Andes more
than 10,000 years ago. Indian peoples
such as the Inca established cities in high
valleys and built roads through mountain
passes. Most people in the Andean
region even today have at least some
Indian ancestors.
Most of the people of the mountains are
involved in farming. Most crops are
grown for use within the region, but
some are exported. Increasing numbers
of people have also become involved in
mining. The Andean region is one of the
world’s richest sources of minerals. Copper,
iron ore, tin, lead, zinc, silver, gold,
platinum, and emeralds are all produced
in the Andes, especially in the south.
#More to explore
Inca • Mountain • South America
Mount Fitzroy, or El Chalten, is part of the southern Andes Mountains. It rises above a
plain in the Patagonia region of Argentina.
118 Andes BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Andorra
The European country of Andorra is
one of the smallest in the world. The
capital is Andorra la Vella.
Geography
Andorra lies in the southern Pyrenees
Mountains between Spain and France.
The Valira River runs through its valleys.
Andorra has a number of natural
sources of hot water called thermal
springs.
The climate of Andorra is generally dry.
It has cold, snowy winters and warm
summers.
Plants and Animals
Pines and firs grow in Andorra’s mountains,
where chamois (goatlike animals)
and birds of prey also live. Andorra has
reintroduced several threatened animals,
including species of trout and deer, to
their former habitats.Wild boars and
weasels are other native animals.
People
Most Andorrans are of Spanish origin
and Roman Catholic. Catalan, a language
