PYRÉNÉES-ORIENTALES

PYRÉNÉES-ORIENTALES, a department of France, lying between 42. 20. and 42. 55. N. Lat., 1. 44. and 3. 10. E. Long., bounded on the W. and N. by the departments of Ariège and Aude, E. by the Mediterranean, and S. by Spain: length, from E. to W., 75 miles; greatest breadth, 35; area, 1585 square miles. Though the greater part of the surface is occupied by mountains, yet there is a wide plain stretching along the shore of the Mediterranean. In the interior there are two nearly parallel chains of hills which run from E. to W., and divide the country into three long valleys, watered by the Gly, the Tech, and the Tet respectively. These rivers, none of which is navigable, fall into the Mediterranean, and water the greater part of the country; while the Aude, which rises in the east of this department, flows northward through the department to which it gives its name, and it too falls into the Mediterranean. The natural fertility of the soil is by no means great, and a large portion of it is unfit for cultivation; but the plain along the sea-shore is so well watered by a system of irrigation from the rivers that traverse it as to produce a supply of corn more than enough to meet all domestic wants. In the western portion of the department, which is very hilly, vines thrive well on the high ground, while the valleys are little inferior to the eastern plain; and even along the southern frontier, rye, oats, maize, pulse, &c., may be grown, where neither wheat nor the vine could flourish. The department contains about 346,000 acres of arable land, and 395,000 of heaths and waste land, the rest being occupied with forests, vineyards, &c. The annual produce of wines is about 8,800,000 gallons, and more than a third of this quantity is exported. The wines of Collioure, Port-Vendres, Rivesaltes, &c., which come from this country, are very highly esteemed.

The extent of the pasture-grounds enable the people to keep large numbers of live stock,—horses, mules, horned cattle, sheep, and goats. Like the other Pyrenean departments, this region contains many valuable minerals. There are numerous iron mines here, as well as smelting-houses and forges for the metal. Coal, marble, alabaster, granite, and sulphur are also worked. The manufactures of Pyrenées-Orientales include those of leather, broad cloth, hosiery, corks, brandy, pottery, and bricks, besides those connected with the production of wine and iron. The fisheries of tunny, anchovies, sardines, &c., along the coast are very productive; and there is an active coasting trade. The exports considerably exceed the imports in value; and consist of wine, brandy, cattle, salt provisions, linen and woolen stuffs, iron, and marble. The department forms the diocese of Perpignan, and contains three courts of the first instance and one of commerce. For the purposes of education it has a college, a normal school, a superior communal school, and 313 elementary schools. It is divided into three arrondissements as follows, and the capital is Perpignan:—