a country of Africa, in Barbary; bounded on the north by the Mediterranean sea; on the south, by the country of the Berberies; on the west, by the kingdom of Tunis and Biledulgerid; and on the east, by Egypt. It is about 925 miles along the sea coast; but the breadth is various. Some parts of it are pretty fruitful; but that towards Egypt is a sandy desert. It had the title of a kingdom; but is governed by a dey. Early in the last century Tripoli shook off its dependence on the grand Turk. In other respects the government is not essentially changed. It is still a military despotism of the most ferocious description. Its piracies are now confined to Naples, Sardinia, and other states which have no efficient navy. See BARBARY STATES, SUPPLEMENT.

a considerable town of Africa, and capital of a state of the same name in Barbary, with a castle and a fort. It is pretty large, and the inhabitants are noted pirates. It was taken by Charles V. who settled the knights of Malta there; but they were driven away by the Turks in 1553. It was formerly very flourishing; and has now some trade in stuffs, saffron, corn, oil, wool, dates, ostrich feathers, and skins; but they make more of the Christian slaves which they take at sea; for they either set high ransoms upon them, or make them perform all sorts of work. It is seated on the coast of the Mediterranean, in a sandy soil, and surrounded by a wall, strengthened by other fortifications. E. Long. 13° 12'. N. Lat. 32° 34'.

called Tripolis of Syria, to distinguish it from Tripoli in Barbary, received its name from its being anciently formed of three cities at a small distance from each other, one of which belonged to the Arabians, or ancient kingdom of Arad, the second to the Sidonians, and the third to the Tyrians, perhaps as a common mart to those maritime powers. The present town of Tripoli is built at the distance of a mile and a half from the other, upon the declivity of a hill facing the sea, in 34° 20' north latitude, and in 35° 50' east longitude from Greenwich. It is surrounded with walls, fortified with seven high strong towers, and a castle, all of Gothic architecture; but the streets are narrow, and the houses low. The city contains about 8000 houses, and near 60,000 inhabitants, consisting of Turks, Christians, and Jews. The basha, or pasha, who resides in the castle, where there is a garrison of 200 janizaries, governs the adjacent territory, in which there is plenty of fruit, and a great number of mulberry trees, which enable the inhabitants to carry on a silk manufacture, from which they draw considerable profit.

All the environs of Tripoli are laid out in orchards, where the nopal grows spontaneously, and the white mulberry is cultivated for the silk-worm; the pomegranate, orange, and lemon trees for their fruit, which is here very fine. The country, though delightful to the eye, is unhealthy; from July to September, epidemic fevers, like those of Scanderoon and Cyprus, prevail, and are principally caused by the artificial inundations made for the purpose of watering the mulberry trees, to enable them to throw out their second leaves, and from a want of free circulation of air, the city being open only to the westward.