GRANADA, a province of Spain, which for a long time was a kingdom distinct from the rest of that country. See the article SPAIN.—It made a part of the ancient Bretica; and was inhabited by the Bastuli, the Sexitani, &c. At present it is sometimes called Upper Andalusia. It is bounded to the south and east by the Mediterranean, to the west and north by Lower Andalusia, and the north-east by Murcia. Its extent from west to east is two hundred and ten miles; but its greatest breadth exceeds not eighty. The air here is temperate and healthy; and though there are many mountains in the province, and some
of them very high, yet they are almost everywhere covered with vines and fruit-trees, together with laurel, myrtle, sweet-basil, thyme, lavender, marjoram, and other aromatic herbs, which give an exquisite taste to the flesh of their sheep and cattle. A great deal of silk and sugar, flax and hemp, honey and wax, is also produced here; besides dates and acorns, superior to the finest nuts; good stone for building; several sorts of gems; sumach, used in dressing goat-skins; and galls, of which a dye is made for leather. The valleys, with which the mountains are interspersed, are extremely beautiful and fertile. The inhabitants of some of the highest mountains are said to be descendants of the Moors; and, though they are become Roman Catholics, retain in a great measure, their ancient customs, manners, and language. The principal rivers in the province are the Genil or Xenil, and Guadalantín, besides which there are many lesser streams. Abundance of salt is made in this province. The present population is estimated at 700,000. Malaga is its principal port. It was the last of the kingdoms possessed by the Moors, and was not reduced and annexed to the crown of Castile until 1492.