AVILA, a province of Spain, one of the modern divisions of the kingdom of Old Castile. It is situated between Long. 4. 14. and 5. 55. W., and Lat. 40. 48. and 41. 18. N.; and is bounded on the N. by Valladolid; E. by Segovia and Madrid; S. by Toledo and Caceres; and W. by Salamanca. Area 277 square leagues; population in 1849, 132,936. It contains one city, 72 towns, 326 villages, and 334 parishes. It is judicially divided into 6 districts or partidos; but naturally consists of two sections, differing completely in soil, climate, productions, and social economy. The northern portion, comprehending the Moraña, the district of Arevalo,
part of Avila and Piedrahita, and the plain of Pajares, is generally level; the soil is of indifferent quality, strong and marly in a few places, but in all the valleys of the Sierra de Avila, rocky; and the cold of winter is compensated by extreme heat in summer. The population of this part is agricultural. The southern division, comprehending the districts of Arenas de San Pedro, Cebreros, Barco, and part of Piedrahita and Avila, is one mass of rugged granitic sierras, interspersed, however, with sheltered and well-watered valleys, abounding with cattle and rich vegetation. The winter here, especially in the elevated region of the Paramera and the waste lands of Avila, is long and severe, but the climate is not unhealthy. The inhabitants live by the rearing of cattle. The principal mountain chains are the Guadarrama, separating this province from Madrid, and the Sierras de Avila, a continuation of them westward, the Sierra de Gredos, running from the S. of Piedrahita through Barco, Arenos, and part of Cebreros, and the Paramera, stretching southwards from the city of Avila into Arenas and Cebreros. The various ridges which ramify from the latter are covered with wood, presenting a striking contrast to the bare peaks of the Sierra de Gredos, and the barren levels in which they rise on the N. The principal rivers are the Alberche, flowing through the districts of Piedrahita and Avila towards Madrid and Toledo; the Tormes, through Piedrahita and Barco into Salamanca; the Corneja, from E. to W. through the valley of the same name and joining the Tormes; the Adaja, rising at the foot of the Pass of Villatoro, flowing through the valley of Ambles, and entering Valladolid; and the Tietar through Cebreros and Arenas into Caceres. The mountains contain silver, copper, iron, and lead, but their mineral wealth has been greatly exaggerated, and has not yet been subjected to any continued trial. Quarries of fine marble and jasper exist in the district of Arenas.
This once flourishing province has gradually declined in wealth and population during the last two centuries, a result due less to the want of activity on the part of the inhabitants than to the oppressive manorial and feudal rights and the strict laws of entail and mortmain, which have acted as barriers to improvement. The principal production is the wool of the Merino sheep, which at one time yielded an immense revenue. Game is plentiful, and the rivers abound in fish, specially trout. There is little trade, and the manufactures are few, consisting chiefly of copper utensils, lime, soap, cloth, paper, combs, &c. The state of elementary education is comparatively good, and the ratio of crime is proportionately low. (Madoz, Diccionario de España.)