one of the provinces of West Russia, formerly a part of Lithuania. It is bounded on the north by Vilna, on the east by Minsk, on the south by Volhynia, of the south-west by Poland, and on the west by Bialystock. It extends over 11,792 square miles, and is divided into eight circles, containing 108 towns and 936 villages, with 842,500 inhabitants. The latter consist of Lithuanians, Poles, Russians, Jews, Germans, and gipsies. The nobility are chiefly Poles, the traders are Jews or Poles, the merchants Germans, and the labourers and peasants Lithuanians. The chief city, of the same name, is situated on the river Niemen. It is an ancient town, with palaces of the great Lithuanian nobles, now in a state of decay. It contains twelve churches, of which nine are Catholic, one Greek, and two Lutheran, with 800 houses and 5000 inhabitants. Long. 23° 46' 20". E. Lat. 53° 40' 48" N.