a town of Hindustan, and capital of the province of the same name, is situate on the left bank of the river Noyel, a feeder of the Cauvery. The streets are wide, airy, and neatly built. This city, as well as the whole province, suffered severely in the wars which took place between the sovereigns of Mysore and the British. Since its permanent occupation by the latter, the city has recovered considerably, and contains 2000 houses, which is about half the number it possessed under Hyder's government. It has a mosque, built by Tippoo, who occasionally made Coimbatore the place of his residence. The elevation of the town above the sea is 1483 feet. Distance south from Seringapatam 100 miles. Lat. 11°, Long. 77° 1'.

capital of the province of Beira, Portugal, stands on the north bank of the Mondego, 115 miles N.N.E. from Lisbon. The early history of Coimbra is involved in much obscurity. It is not known if the foundations of the city were laid by the Romans; they cannot with certainty be traced farther back than the time of the Goths. Previous to the sixteenth century it was the capital of the kingdom, and strongly fortified; but it is now surrounded only by an old and ruinous wall, and the houses are falling into decay. Its trade is purely local, as the Mondego is only navigable in flood, and its port, Figuiera, is upwards of 20 miles distant. There are, however, considerable manufactures of earthen-ware, linen and woollen fabrics, combs, &c. The country to the south of the Mondego is the most fertile and salubrious in Portugal, and, accordingly, the neighbourhood of Coimbra is studded with villas. It derives its principal importance from being the seat of the only university in the kingdom. Lisbon was the original seat of this university, which was transferred in 1306 to Coimbra. Some time after it was restored to Lisbon, where it existed till 1527. In that year it was again transferred to Coimbra, where it has ever since remained. It consists of 18 colleges, and is attended by 1400 students. It is divided into 6 faculties—viz., theology, canon law, civil law, medicine, mathematics, and philosophy, and has a staff of 39 professors. Its library, museums, and academical apparatus generally, are on the same scale of magnificence. Coimbra is the see of a bishop, who is suffragan to the Archbishop of Braga; and besides the cathedral it has 8 parish churches, and numerous conventual institutions. In the neighbourhood is the splendid monastery of Santa Clara; and near it is the celebrated Villa of Tears, where Inez de Castro is said to have been murdered. Pop. 16,000.