SORIA, one of the four departments into which the province of Old Castile, in Spain, is divided. Its extent is 341 square leagues, and its population amounts to 257,537 souls. It is in general a hilly district, and in some parts very mountainous. The plains are fertile, especially that of Rioja, and yield abundance of wheat and barley, and in some years it has a surplus of both these productions. Its wine is good, but not abundant; and it is deficient in a supply of oil, which is procured from the more southern provinces. This province furnishes to commerce a great proportion of the fine wool of the merinos. That of Soria is not equal in fineness to what is produced in Segovia, but is however of a good quality; and the quantity annually sent away amounts to about 2,250,000 pounds.