a city of Italy, in the Sardinian dominions, situated on the east bank of the Tanaro, capital of the province of the same name. It is the see of a bishop, and, besides the cathedral, contains 12 churches, 2 collegiate churches, with 17 monasteries and nunneries. It has many fine public and private buildings. It is strongly fortified, and in the several successive hostilities in Italy has been attacked and defended with great fury. In the year 1816 it contained 30,312 inhabitants. Two great fairs are held here, when the city becomes a mart resorted to by merchants from all parts of Italy. It is in long. 8. 40. E. lat. 44. 57. N.

a province of the duchy of Piedmont, in the dominions of the king of Sardinia, bounded on the north by Casale, on the east by Mortara, Boghera, and Tortona, on the south-east by Genoa, on the south-west by Aqui, and on the west by Asti. The extent is 314 square miles, or 200,960 acres. It comprehends two cities, 29 towns and villages, and 12 hamlets. The country is a plain, with few elevations, and very fruitful; but suffers from a deficiency of water, though the Po and the Tanaro, with some other rivers, pass through it. The chief productions are wheat, maize, wine, and silk; but besides these, wood, madder, hemp, flax, and fruit, are raised in abundance. The population is very dense, amounting to 70,728 persons, mostly employed in agriculture, which is conducted on the system of garden cultivation.