r TIROL, a province of Austria, one of those most early acquired by the imperial family. It takes its name from an ancient castle on a mountain, near the river Meran, which came under the house of Austria through a female, Margaretha Maultasche, in the year 1363. It extends in north latitude from 45° 39' 30" to 47° 41' 15", and in east longitude from 9° 38' 5" to 12° 32' 23", and contains 11,180 square miles. The province is divided into seven circles, comprehending twenty-two cities, thirty-six market-

towns, and 3150 villages. The inhabitants were, in 1817, 717,524; but by the census of 1832, they appear to have increased to 805,750. They all adhere to the Roman Catholic Church, there being no Protestants or Greeks, and only eight or ten Jewish families. The whole of the province is a continuation of the Alps, and the face of the country resembles Switzerland, with some lofty mountains capped with snow, having between them similar profound precipices, thundering cascades, and extensive glaciers. This portion of the Alps, known to the ancients as the Rhetian, contains some of the loftiest mountains of the range. The Ortler exceeds 14,000 feet in height; the Tschernowand is 11,600; and a great number above 8000 feet. This mountainous district abounds in most beautiful lakes, which are the sources of several rivers, the Esch, the Brenta, the Drave, and the Galz, which run to the Adriatic; and of the Isar, the Lech, the Iller, and the Inn, which finally empty themselves into the Danube. The air is pure and cold; but the too frequent sirocco in the summer has often a most injurious effect on the health of the inhabitants.

From the nature of the country, the far greater part is inaccessible to agriculture. The woods are estimated to be about three times the extent of the pasture and arable land together; and of about 1,800,000 acres, not more than 170,000 are capable of being ploughed; whilst the pasture land, in which are included those parts of the Alps which afford in the summer only food for cattle, are estimated at 600,000 acres. In the valleys, and lower sides of the hills, about 20,000 acres are appropriated to vineyards and gardens. The district is every year deficient in corn, and receives supplies from its neighbourhood, although the cultivation of potatoes, of maize, and of buckwheat, is extensive, and supplies substitutes for wheat, rye, and barley. The chief agricultural products which exceed the demands of the population are butter, hemp, tobacco, flax, and on the southern border, towards Italy, some silk.

The country is rich in minerals, but that branch of industry is languishingly pursued. The mines yield gold about 200 ounces, silver 16,000 ounces, and some iron, lead, calamine, and much rock-salt. Some iron and sheet wares are exported, as well as wine, tar, pitch, horses, cheese, and butter, chiefly to Italy. From the poverty of the country, the emigration is very great; and in every part of Europe the natives of it are to be seen, who, after successful wanderings, return to enjoy the proceeds of their industry and parsimony in their native land. The Tyrol has some privileges beyond the other portions of the Austrian states. The deputies form an assembly of four orders, the clergy, the nobles, the burghers, and the peasantry, being the only part where the latter class have representatives. The power of the states is however very inconsiderable, being limited to the distribution of the taxes imposed on the province among the several subdivisions of it, and to the privilege of petitioning and remonstrating.