a southern department of France, formed out of the ancient county of Foix, and parts of Gascony and Languedoc. It is bounded on the south by the Pyrenees, on the east by the departments of Pyrenees Orientale and Aube, and north and west by that of Haute Garonne. Its subdivisions, with their population, are as under:

| Arrondissements | Cantons | Communes | Population in 1831 | |-----------------|---------|----------|------------------| | Foix | 8 | 141 | 92,671 | | Pamiers | 6 | 114 | 82,197 | | St Girons | 6 | 81 | 92,567 |

From east to west its extent is 66 miles; from north to south 49 miles; and its area 1756 square miles.

The departments of Foix and St Girons are mountainous, and contain some of the loftiest peaks in France; as Pic d'Estats, which is 10,811 feet; Montcalm, 10,512 feet; Serre, 9592 feet; Montlecon, 9424 feet; Montvalier, 9120 feet. This mountainous district contains many small valleys, and two principal ones, which are watered by the Ariège and Salat, considerable affluents of the Garonne, and are very fertile and sedulously cultivated. The produce of the lowlands is grain, sweet chestnuts, apples, and peaches; but the vines produce an inferior wine, which is wholly retained for home consumption. The uplands afford abundant pasturage for cattle, horses, mules, and sheep; and the mountain slopes produce fine timber, oak, beech, ash, and pine. The departments of Foix and St Girons yield some copper, and the most valuable iron mines of France, with a considerable quantity of lead, from which silver is extracted; and the streams afford some grain-gold. The principal iron mines are those of Ax, Taracon, and Vic-Dessus. Around the latter are numerous smelting works, which have been actively carried on for ages; and the vicinity is studded with the neat houses of the iron-masters and their numerous workmen, mingled with the remains of feudal strongholds that once were of importance on this frontier of Spain.