a province of European Russia, which extends over 15,430 square miles, comprehending seventeen cities, 137 towns, 1532 villages and hamlets, and containing a population of 1,611,100 persons. It is between 50. 20. and 52. 26. north latitude, and is consequently in a temperate climate. It is an undulating district, with no elevations entitled to the name of mountains. Although well watered by the rivers Donez and its tributary streams, it is neither swampy nor marshy, but enjoys a dry soil. It is fertile, and the increase of corn from the same measure of seed is greater than in any of the provinces to the north of it. As the greater portion of the people are occupied in agriculture, the chief surplus produce consists of corn, amounting in some years to upwards of 4,400,000 quarters. This forms the chief commodity for exportation, besides which, corn, spirits, hemp and hemp oil, tobacco, hides, leather, wool, tallow, wax, honey, horses, and horned cattle, are supplied to the neighbouring provinces. From the want of navigable rivers, most of the commodities must be conveyed to the Wolga on wheel carriages, which, as the roads are bad, becomes very expensive. There are in this province a great number of nobles, who among them possess 239,000 peasants or slaves. The province is divided into fifteen circles. The city of Kursk is the capital of the province, as well as of the circle of that name. It is the seat of an archbishop. It stands at the junction of the rivers Kura and Tuskar, and has been fortified, but the walls are converted into pleasing promenades. It contains sixteen churches, two convents, an ecclesiastical seminary, 2340 houses, and 21,500 inhabitants. It is a place of extensive trade in wax, tallow, hemp, and the other productions of the soil, and the seat of some manufactures; and near it the gardens produce fruits that will not grow in the more northern parts of the empire. Long. 36. 22. E. Lat. 51. 43. N.