Upper, a department in the south-west of France, formed out of the ancient district Toulousein, a part of Upper Languedoc, and the district of Comminges, a portion of Gascony. It is bounded on the north by the department of Tarn-Garonne, on the east by those of the Tarn and the Aude, on the south-east by that of Ariège, on the south by Spain, and on the west by the departments of the Upper Pyrenees and the Gers. The extent is 2470 square miles, or, according to the royal almanack, 642,533 hectares. The civil divisions are four Garrick, arrondissements, thirty-five cantons, and 605 communes, inhabited by 427,856 individuals.

The face of the country, in by far the greatest portion of the northern division of the department, consists of low hills, and broad valleys between them; but the southern part is a mountain district, which rises gradually towards the Spanish frontier, where some of the elevations attain the height of 10,000 feet. In the northern part the land is generally fertile; but in the southern it is sterile, and, in the valleys, is better adapted for pasture than for tillage. The chief river, which gives name to the department, is navigable for boats above Toulouse, to Cazères for small boats, and below that city to the sea for variously-sized larger vessels. In the Pyrenees are some small lakes: from one of them, the Seculego, is a waterfall into another, the Espingo, which is near 800 feet high, and the latter lake is 4500 feet above the level of the sea. In no part of the world is there a greater variety of picturesque scenery than the Pyrenees present within this department.

The inhabitants, like the others in these southern departments, speak a peculiar patois, in which many Latin and Spanish words are intermixed. In some parts of the Pyrenees, especially in the Valley of Luchon, are found the Cretins, there called Cagots, with large and indistinct articulation, and a great degree of stupidity, who reside in dwellings separated from the other inhabitants, by whom all connection with them is viewed with abhorrence. The singularity is, that none of this race are found on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees.

The agriculture, except on the mountains, is well conducted, and the harvests, especially of wheat, are very abundant; besides which, much maize is occasionally grown. The neighbourhood of Toulouse is one of the most fruitful of France, as well in corn as in pasture for cattle. Much fruit is produced, and the vineyards are extensive, yielding wine of a medium quality, most of which is consumed at home, or converted into brandy. The woods yield some ship-timber and fuel, but suffered much during the Revolution.

There are no mines worked except of iron upon a small scale, though copper and lead are to be found in several parts. The manufacturing industry is almost confined to Toulouse, the capital, where linen, woollen, and silk goods are fabricated extensively, as well as snuff, starch, china, paper, hats, hose, and some other articles. In the Pyrenees there is a considerable contraband trade carried on with Spain.