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When we execute the command echo $COLUMNS, where is COLUMNS located? I thought it was just an environment variable, but it is not displayed in env.

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COLUMNS is a shell variable, not an environment variable. Therefore, you will not find it when you use env. If you are not sure what the differences between a shell variable and an environment variable are, take a look at Environment variable vs Shell variable, what's the difference?.

According to https://askubuntu.com/a/275972/15003, you can find COLUMNS if you run

( set -o posix; set ) | grep COLUMNS

which, on my machine, gives

COLUMNS=206
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    With the fish shell, set | grep COLUMNS provide me the answer.
    – Sandra Ross
    Commented Nov 20, 2016 at 11:51

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