Austria, Saxony, and several small German States. W. by France, Belgium, and Holland.

COASTS.-Nearly all the German sea-board belongs to Prussia. (See p. 87).

ISLANDS.-Almost all the insular portion of Germany is Prussian. (See p. 88).

SURFACE -The vast bulk of Prussia belongs to the "great German Plain"; but mountains and highlands form the characteristic features of the S. W. portion, the Harz, Teutoburger Wald, Taunus, Hundsrich, Eifel, and other ranges, all lying in this section of Prussia.

DRAINAGE. Nearly all the important Rivers of Germany are Prussian. (See p. 89).

CLIMATE. The climate is, generally, cold; and on the Baltic coast moist and disagreeable.

PRODUCTIONS.-The chief of these are grain, fat cattle, dairyproduce, wines, and timber; coal, sulphur, alum, salt, amber, pipeclay, Fuller's earth, &c.

PEOPLE AND LANGUAGE.-In 1875 the Population was 25,742,404, of whom 88 p. c. were Germans. The Language is German.

POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY.

POLITICAL DIVISIONS.-For administrative purposes Prussia is divided into 13 Provinces, which, with their chief towns, are as follows:

NOTES ON THE TOWNS.-The six most populous towns of Prussia are Berlin (966,358), Breslau (239,050), Cologne (135,371), Königsberg (122,636), Hanover (106,677), Frankfort (103,136), Danzig (97,931).

Obs. Berlin, on the Spree, near the centre of the kingdom, is the capital of Prussia and the metropolis of the German Empire. It is one of the largest and handsomest cities in Europe. It is the intellectual centre of Germany, and is celebrated for its numerous and admirably appointed Educational Institutions. Its University is of great reputation. Berlin is also the chief manufacturing city of Germany. All the principal roads of Prussia, several canals, and seven great railways meet in Berlin. It is the seat of Government and of the Representative Chambers.

The chief naval ports are Kiel, Stralsund, Danzig, and Wilhelmshaven, all of which are on the Baltic coast.

The principal commercial ports are Stettin, Danzig, Königsberg, Altona Memel, and Elbing.

The chief industrial centres are Berlin (china, linens, woollens, silks, ironwares, &c.), Breslau (linen, woollen, cotton, and silk fabrics, and much commerce), Cologne (eau-de-Cologne, woollens, cottons, silks, &c.), _Frankfort (banking and commerce), Essen (firearms, steel cannon - Krupp's, steam-engines, &c.), Elberfeld, Crefeld, Posen, Bromberg, and Lissa. Other notable towns are Bonn, Halle, Göttingen, Marburg, University towns; Potsdam, a Royal residential town; Treves, the oldest town in Germany; Aix-la-Chapelle, Ems, Homburg, Wiesbaden, and Selters, famous watering places.

INDUSTRIES.-These are Agriculture, which employs about half the population; Manufactures, of which the chief are woollen, linen, cotton, and silk fabrics; iron-founding, cannon-making, printing apparatus, brewing, &c.; Mining, especially coal, iron, zinc, lead, and salt; and Commerce.

Obs. The chief Exports are timber, corn, wool, flax, and oil; Imports, colonial produce, coal, iron, raw silks, and cottons.

COMMUNICATIONS are well developed, and include excellent systems of Macadamised Roads, Railroads, Canals, Navigable Rivers, and Telegraph Lines.

GOVERNMENT, RELIGION, AND EDUCATION.-The Government is a constitutional and hereditary Monarchy. The Religion is Protestant, and Roman Catholic. Education is general and compulsory, and is under the control of Government. There are eleven different grades of schools.

BAVARIA.

GENERAL FACTS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY.

Obs. Bavaria consists of two detached parts, viz., Bavaria Proper on the E., and Rhenish Bavaria on the W. of the Rhine. Between them lie parts of Baden and the Grand Duchy of Hesse.

I. BAVARIA PROPER.

Latitude. Between 47° 20′ and 50° 41′ N.

Longitude. Between 9° and 13° 48′ E. Area. 26,992 sq. m.

POSITION AND BOUNDARIES.--Bavaria Proper lies near the middle of Central Europe. It is bounded on the

N. by Saxony, Hesse, and Baden. E. and S. by Austria. W. by Würtemberg, Baden, and Hesse Darmstadt.

SURFACE. In general the aspect of Bavaria is that of a mountainous plateau. The Danube, which cuts it into two nearly equal parts, divides the country into two natural regions, which are remarkably distinct in character. The N. region is mountainous, or decidedly undulating; while the S. forms the elevated highland of Bavaria. The chief mountains are the Bavarian Alps, along the S. frontier; the_Böhmer Wald on the E. frontier; the Fichtelgebirge, and the Franken Wald in the N. E. (see p. 88).

DRAINAGE.-The drainage of Bavaria is carried to the Black Sea by the Danube (see pp. 21, 89), and towards the North Sea by the Main, a tributary of the Rhine. Other Bavarian rivers are the Iller, Lech, Isar, and Inn, tributaries of the Danube. Lake Constance is partly in Bavaria; and other lakes are Chiem, Würm, and Ammer.

CLIMATE.-The climate is generally temperate and salubrious. PRODUCTIONS.-These include corn, cattle, and grapes; salt, coal, iron, marbles, lithographic stone, and clay.

PEOPLE AND LANGUAGE.-In 1875 the Population was 4,381,136, most of whom are Germans, speaking the German Language.

II. RHENISH BAVARIA.

Latitude. Between 48° 57′ and 49° 50′ N. Longitude. Between 7° 5' and 8° 27′ E. Area. 2,291 sq. m.

POSITION AND BOUNDARIES.-This part of the kingdom lies W. of the Rhine, and is bounded on the

N.W. and N. by the Rhine Province. N.E. by Hesse Darmstadt. E. by Baden. S. by Alsace. S.W. by Lorraine.

SURFACE.-The general aspect of the country is hilly. The Hardt, with peak Donnersberg, (2,300 ft.), are the chief mountains. DRAINAGE. Small streams carry the drainage of this part of the State to the Rhine.

CLIMATE AND PRODUCTIONS are similar to the climate and productions of Bavaria Proper.

PEOPLE, AND LANGUAGE.-In 1875 the population was 641,254, who are mostly Germans, who speak the German language.

POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY.

POLITICAL DIVISIONS.-For administrative purposes Bavaria is divided into 8 Government Districts, which, with their chief towns, are as follows:

NOTES ON THE TOWNS.-The five most populous towns are Munich (198,829), Nuremburg (91,018), Augsburg (57,213), Würzburg (44,975), Ratisbon (31,504).

Obs. Munich, on the Isar, and at the head of railways to Vienna, Italy, Switzerland, and France, is the capital of the kingdom, and one of the most elevated cities in Europe. It is the seat of a university, is famous for its rich treasures of art, and contains the largest theatre in Germany.

The chief industrial centres are Munich (mathematical instruments, bronze and iron wares, silk, beer, &c.), Nuremburg (toys, wooden clocks, &c.), Augsburg (commerce, banking, silks, cottons, linens, mathematical instruments, &c.), Baireuth, Hof, Fürth, Landshut, &c.

Other notable towns are Würzburg (for its University), Erlangen (the seat of the only German Protestant University), Ratisbon (formerly the capital of the kingdom), Spires (for ecclesiastical and historical associations), Passau, Ingoldstadt, and Landau (military strongholds).

INDUSTRIES. The principal sources of Bavarian wealth are Agriculture, and Mining: Manufactures are chiefly represented by beer, wine, cotton, linen and woollen fabrics, toys, mathematical and musical instruments.

COMMUNICATIONS.-High roads are, generally, very bad; but Railways connect all the important districts and towns. There are also numerous important Canals; and Telegraphic Communications are largely developed.

GOVERNMENT, RELIGION, AND EDUCATION.-Bavaria is a constitutional and hereditary Monarchy. The bulk of the people (71 p. c.) are Romanists; the remainder are Protestants. Education is general and compulsory.

WÜRTEMBERG.

GENERAL FACTS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY.

Latitude. Between 47° 35′ and 49° 35′ N. Longitude. Between 8° 15′ and 10° 30′ E. Area. 7,530 sq. m.

POSITION AND BOUNDARIES.-Würtemberg forms one of the S.W. states of Germany. It is bounded on the

N., E., and S.E. by Bavaria. S. by Lake Constance. S.W., W., and N.W. by Baden.

SURFACE.--The general aspect of the country is mountainous, except in the S. The chief mountain range is the Rauhe Alp or Swabian Jura, which embraces several summits of more than 3,000 ft. high, and separates the basins of the Neckar, and Danube.

DRAINAGE.—The chief rivers are the Danube, and Neckar. The Neckar with its tributaries drains by far the largest part of the kingdom. The lakes are small and unimportant, and lie principally in the S.; but they include a part of Lake Constance.

CLIMATE AND PRODUCTIONS.-The climate is variable, but temperate and salubrious. The chief productions are corn, wine, potatoes, fruit; timber, coal, iron, salt, and building-stone.

PEOPLE AND LANGUAGE.-In 1875 the population was 1,881,505,

nearly all of whom are Germans, speaking the German language, or some of its dialects.

POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY.

POLITICAL DIVISIONS.-Würtemberg, for administrative purposes, is divided into 4 Circles, which with their capitals are as follows.

NOTES ON THE TOWNS.-The four most populous towns are Stuttgart (107,273), Ulm (30,222), Heilbronn (21,208), and Esslingen (19, 602).

Obs. Stuttgart, the capital of Würtemberg, is prettily situated on a small tributary of the Neckar, and at the head of railways to Ulm, Wildbad, Heilbronn, Carlsruhe, &c. It is a well built town, containing a royal palace and some handsome public buildings. Its library is said to contain the largest collection of bibles in the world. It is the centre of a large printing and book-binding trade. The chief industrial centres are Stuttgart (printing, woollens, cottons, mathematical instruments), Ulm, Heilbronn, Ludwigsburg, Esslingen, Biberach (toys), and Aalen (salt works).

Other notable towns are Tübingen (for its University), and Wildbad (for its medicinal thermal springs).

INDUSTRIES. The people, generally, are engaged in Agricultural, and Pastoral Pursuits. Mining flourishes in the N. districts of the kingdom. Manufactures, principally cotton, linen, woollen, and silk fabrics, toys, clocks, paper, printing apparatus, lacquered tin wares, and mathematical instruments, are general in the chief towns.

COMMUNICATIONS.-The Turnpike Roads are very bad in the Black Forest circle; elsewhere they are fairly well kept. The kingdom is well supplied with Railways, and with Telegraphic Lines.

GOVERNMENT, RELIGION, AND EDUCATION.-The kingdom of Würtemberg is a constitutional and hereditary Monarchy. With respect to Religion, about two-thirds of the people are Protestants, the remainder Roman Catholics. Education is general and compulsory.

SAXONY.

GENERAL FACTS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY.

Latitude. Between 50° 10′ and 51° 28′ N.

Longitude. Between 11° 55' and 15° 3' E. Area. 5,787 sq. m.

POSITION AND BOUNDARIES.-Saxony lies in the S.E. of the German Empire. It is bounded on the

N. and N.E. by Prussia. S.E. and S. by Austria. W. by Bavaria, Reuss, Saxe-Weimar, Altenburg, and Prussia.

SURFACE.-Saxony has a mean elevation of about 1,100 ft., and exhibits plains in the N.; uplands in the centre; and mountains in the S.E. and S. The chief mountains are the Erzgebirge, on the