an inland department in the S.W. of France, comprehending the ancient division of Angoumois, with inconsiderable portions of Saintonge, Poitou, and Limousin. It is bounded N. by the departments of Deux-Sèvres and Haute-Vienne; E. by those of Vienne and Dordogne; S. and W. by those of Dordogne and Charente-Inferieure. Area 2670 square miles. The great part of it consists of the valley of the river Charente, which rises in Haute-Vienne, and after a circuitous course passes into Charente-Inferieure, where it falls into the sea opposite Isle-Madame. Principal tributaries—the Tardoire, Touvres, Né Seugne, Antoine, and Boutonne. The Charente, though rapid, has been rendered navigable artificially; and steamers ply between Angoulême and Saintes, although the tide ascends no higher than the latter. The surface is comparatively level, and subject to frequent inundations. In the arrondissement of Confolens are upwards of 60 small lakes. The hills are generally uniform in height, and abound in marine deposits; while some of them are covered with chestnut forests. Climate temperate; prevailing winds W. and S.W. Principal productions, wine, corn, hemp, flax, and potatoes. The wine is largely distilled into brandy, for which Cognac is famous. The value of truffles annually brought to market is estimated at 300,000 francs. Pigs, sheep, and poultry are extensively reared for the Paris market. Its mineral productions consist chiefly of iron, lead, antimony, and CHARENTE-Inférieure or Lower Charente, a maritime department of France, comprehending the old provinces of Saintonge and Aunis, and including the islands of Ré, Oleron, Aix, and Madame. It is bounded N. by Vendée and Deux-Sèvres; E. by Charente; S. by Gironde, and W. by the Bay of Biscay. Area 2757 square miles. The surface is exceedingly flat throughout the whole department, and along the coast-line it is so far depressed as to require in many places the erection of sea-dikes and extensive artificial draining. Its facilities for internal communication are greatly increased by the number of navigable streams, and the formation of two canals, one from La-Rochelle to the Sèvre Niortaise, the other from Brouage to Rochefort. The productions very nearly coincide with those of Charente, with this difference—that its wines and brandy are greatly inferior, but its fruits and vegetables greatly superior to those of the upper province. It has also more extensive pasturage, and considerable revenue accruing from the pilchard and oyster fisheries on the coast, but its mineral wealth and manufactures are neither so various nor so productive. The former is confined to the salt supplied by marshes along the coast; the latter includes coarse woollen stuffs, leather, soap, earthenware, staves, and timber. It has several sheltered bays on the coast, and several good harbours, at which a brisk coasting trade is carried on. It has considerable trade in colonial produce; and shipbuilding is prosecuted to some extent. The climate is salubrious, except along the coast, where fevers and ague prevail. It is divided into six arrondissements, cognominal with the principal towns, which are subdivided and peopled as follows:

| Arrondissements | Cantons | Communes | Pop. (1851) | |-----------------|---------|----------|------------| | Angoulême | 9 | 144 | 137,696 | | Cognac | 4 | 70 | 57,939 | | Ruffec | 4 | 82 | 59,260 | | Barbezieux | 6 | 88 | 56,557 | | Confolens | 6 | 70 | 71,440 | | Total | 29 | 454 | 382,912 |