formerly a duchy of Germany, bounded to the east by the bishopric of Paderborn, and the territories of Waldeck and Hesse; to the south by the counties of Witgenstein and Nassau, and the duchy of Berg; to the north by the bishopric of Munster and the county of Lippe. It is about 40 miles in length and 30 in breadth. The lower part of it is very fruitful, yielding plenty of corn and cattle, and some salt springs. The higher affords iron ore, calamine, lead, copper, some silver and gold, fine woods, cattle, game, fish, with a little corn. The rivers, that either pass through the duchy or along its borders, are the Rhur, the Lenne, the Bigge, the Dimel, and the Lippe. There are 28 towns in it, besides boroughs and cloisters. The provincial diets are held at Arenberg. In the year 1180, the emperor Fred. I. made a donation of this duchy to the archbishopric of Cologne, which was confirmed by succeeding emperors; and in 1638, the last duke of Arenberg ceded it to also the county of Arenberg.

one of the circles of Germany, anciently the people inhabiting between the Weser and the Rhine, were called Wolphalians; and hence that tract got the name of Wolphalia: but the circle of that name is of a larger extent, being surrounded by the circle of Burgundy, or the Austrian Netherlands, the United Provinces, and the North sea, with the circles of the Upper and Lower Rhine, and comprising a great many different states.

The summoning princes and directors of the circle of Westphalia, were the bishops of Munster, alternately with the electors of Brandenburg and Palatine, as dukes of Cleve and Juliers. The archives belonging to it were before the war (1797) kept at Duffeldorf. Its quota of men and money is somewhat more than the ninth part of the whole sum granted by the empire. With respect to religion, it is partly Protestant and partly Catholic; but the Protestants predominate, and are, at least the greater part of them, Calvinists. The air of this country is not reckoned very wholesome, and towards the north is extremely cold in winter. The soil in general is marshy and barren; yet there is some good corn and pasture land; but the fruit is chiefly used to feed hogs; and hence it is that their bacon and hams are so much valued and admired.

Westphalia now forms one of the kingdoms established by Bonaparte.