PARMA, DUCHY OF, a state of Northern Italy, lying between N. Lat. 44. 19. and 45. 8., E. Long. 9. 23. and 10. 40. It is bounded on the N. by Austrian Italy, E. by the duchy of Modena, S. by Tuscany and the kingdom of Sardinia, and W. by the kingdom of Sardinia. Its length from E. to W. is about 50 miles; its breadth varies from 40 to 50; and its area is 2392 sq. miles. About a third of the country is mountainous, being occupied by the slopes and offsets of the Apennines; and several of the summits rise to a great height,—such as the Alpe di Succiso, 6807 feet high; Orsaio, 6180 feet, &c. The mountains are rugged and bleak, but their sides are covered with forests of chestnut, oak, ash, and beech. In the glens of the Apennines several affluents of the Po take their rise, and flow northwards, watering the lower regions. Most of these are small: the Tidone, Trebbia, Nura, Taro, and Parma are of some size, but none of them are navigable. Among the mountains lie many small lakes. The lowlands consist of fertile plains and hills. The most of the duchy belongs to the chalk formation, the loftier regions being entirely of this structure, while in the more level parts sandstone, calcareous tufa, and marls are also found. The mineral riches of the country are not very great: the principal is salt, of which there are several rich springs; iron is worked to some extent; copper in one place; and marble, alabaster, crystals, stones for lithography, &c., are obtained. The climate is generally temperate, and except near the Po, where unhealthy vapours prevail, salubrious. The people of the low country are chiefly employed in farming; and maize, wheat, pulse, tobacco, hemp, wine, and fruit are raised. Cattle of a good breed, sheep, poultry, silk, and bees are also produced. Large herds of hogs live in the forests; game of various kinds is plentiful; and the rivers abound in fish. The inhabitants of the mountains are, from the sterility of the soil, very inadequately supplied with food. They live chiefly on chestnuts, milk, and cheese. Many of them leave their homes in summer to seek employment in Lombardy or Tuscany; and large numbers annually emigrate to more distant countries. Parma contains few large manufactories; those of silk, which are the most important, exist in all the chief towns. Linen and cotton fabrics, paper, gunpowder, earthenware, and other articles, are likewise manufactured. The trade is not extensive, the principal articles imported being linen cloth, colonial produce, and articles of luxury; and the exports consisting of cattle, hogs, corn, wine, oil, &c. The government is an unlimited monarchy, hereditary in the male line. There are five superior courts; and the laws, established in 1820, resemble the Code Napoléon, with some modifications. The established religion is the Roman Catholic, to which
most of the people belong; but toleration is extended to other sects. The duchy has primary schools, where the instruction is gratuitous; secondary schools; and superior academies at Parma and Piacenza. The military forces amounted in 1857 to 4130, which might be raised to 6139 in time of war. The revenue and the expenditure for 1857 were each estimated at L.381,332. The duchy is divided into five provinces. Pop. (1856) 495,840. In ancient times what now forms the duchy of Parma was a part of Gallia Cisalpina. After the fall of the Roman empire it was included in Lombardy; and Charlemagne, on conquering that kingdom, transferred Parma to the Papal See. In 1543 Paul III. conferred on his son Luigi Farnese the duchy of Parma and Piacenza. By the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748, it was given to Philip, a son of Philip V. and Elizabeth Farnese. In 1801 Parma was conquered by Napoleon; but the Congress of Vienna decided that, after the death of the ex-Empress Maria Louisa, the duchy should fall to the Duke of Lucca. This took place in 1847, when Lucca was annexed to Tuscany.