a province in the south of Sweden, bounded by Gottenburg, Elfsborg, Jonkoping, and Kronsburg. It is mountainous in the eastern part, but to the west level and sandy. The soil is poor, stony, and ill cultivated, so that it is necessary to import one third of the corn required for food. The inhabitants subsist either by their dairies, or by the fisheries, which employ a great proportion of them. It is divided into four bailiwicks, in which are four towns and 3556 farming establishments, with 71,500 inhabitants. The capital is the city Halmstad, situated at the mouth of the river Nissa, by which it trades in deals, pitch, and tar. It contains a church, a stadhhouse, 199 dwellings, and 1634 inhabitants. Long. 12. 46. 40. E. Lat. 56. 39. 45. N.