or WIRTEMBERG, formerly a duchy, now a kingdom in Germany. It is surrounded on all sides by the territories of Baden and Bavaria, except at the point where it touches the lake of Constance. It consists chiefly of the basin or valley of the Neckar, but a small part of it extends across the Danube. Its greatest length from south to north is 145 miles, its breadth from east to west 90, and its area amounts to 8,200 square English miles. Wurtemberg is one of the most populous countries in Germany, the number of inhabitants in 1818 being 1,395,463, or 170 on an average to each square mile.

Great numbers of emigrants leave this state annually for America or Russia. The country is hilly in the south, where it embraces part of a low range of mountains called the Black-forest, and some subordinate branches of the Alps, but presents generally an undulating surface in the north. It is, upon the whole, one of the most fertile districts of Germany. Besides wheat, oats, barley, maize, rye, hemp, and potatoes, it produces tobacco, fruits of many kinds, and vines, which are cultivated to a great extent, and yield a wine of superior quality. A considerable number of sheep, and a still greater proportion of black cattle are fed in the Black forest, and other hilly districts. These districts also furnish abundance of wood. There are mines of silver, copper, cobalt and iron, but not so productive as to supply the internal consumption. There are also manufactures of linens and woollens; a few of cotton, with some of leather and iron.

The inhabitants are Lutherans, with a small intermixture of Catholics. They are said to be distinguished from the other Germans by a greater share of vivacity, frankness, and good humour, but not by greater sobriety or industry. Their dialect is taxed with rudeness, but they can boast of having produced many writers of acknowledged merit. There is no part of Germany so well supplied with schools, not only for elementary instruction, but also for the learned languages. The people are in short extremely well informed; and the effects of their superior intelligence have been lately seen in the manly struggle they maintained, since the year 1815, for the restoration of their ancient privileges, which were abolished during the ascendancy of Bonaparte. Under their ancient constitution, the diet consisted of a house of prelates (for there were no nobles) representing certain abbeys, provostships, and Lutheran convents; and a house of deputies chosen by the towns. This diet met only on extraordinary occasions, but it appointed a great and a little committee, which held two or three sessions in the year; and through these committees it not only decided upon all taxes proposed, but controlled every branch of the administration, and even nominated one-third of the judges. The king offered his subjects a new constitution in 1816, but this was considered less liberal than their old one, and it experienced so much opposition that he was obliged to withdraw it. During the present year (1819) the differences between the contending parties have been adjusted by another constitution proposed by the king and accepted by the people; and which may therefore be presumed to be more favourable to popular rights, though we have not seen the specific articles of which it consists.

Wurtemberg has been greatly enlarged during the recent changes in Germany. In 1796 its surface was estimated at 3,200 square English miles, and its inhabitants at 608,697; which is less than one half of its present Wurtzburg, present extent and population. It was indebted for the greater part of its acquisitions to Bonaparte; who also bestowed the title of king upon the duke in 1806.

Stuttgart is the chief town.