a department in the south of France, consisting of part of the old province of Languedoc, and bounded N. by the departments of Lozère and Ardèche, E. by the Rhone, which separates it from Vaucluse and Bouches-du-Rhône, S. by Hérault and the Mediterranean, and W. by Aveyron. It lies between 43° 27' and 44° 27' N. Lat., and between 3° 17' and 4° 50' E. Long., being about 75 miles in length from N. to S. and about 70 in breadth from E. to W. Area, 2308 square miles. The mountain range of the Cévennes skirts the department on the N.W., and hence the land gradually declines to the Rhone and Mediterranean. The southern portion, which extends to the sea, and was probably at one time covered by it, is a low plain with numerous lakes and marshes. Besides the Rhone, which bounds it on the E., and the Ardèche, the lower portion of which forms part of its boundary on the N., the principal rivers are the Cèze, Gard, Vidourle, and Hérault. The most northern of these is the Cèze, which rises in the Cévennes, and after a course of about 50 miles in an E.S.E. direction, falls into the Rhone below Bagnols. The Gard, or Gordon, also an affluent of the Rhone, and rising in the Cévennes from several sources, traverses the centre of the department, and has a course of about 60 miles in length. In the early part of its course it flows through a succession of deep mountain gorges; and from the melting of the snows on the Cévennes is subject to inundations, which often cause great damage. Its waters not unfrequently rise 18 or 20 feet in a few hours, and its bed is sometimes increased in width to nearly a mile. The Vidourle flows in a S.S.E. direction from its source near La Vigan, and falls into the shore-lake of Mauguio after a course of about 50 miles. Below Sommières it forms the western boundary of the department. The Hérault has its source and part of its course in this department. The Canal de Beaucaire extends from the Rhone at the town of that name to Aigues Mortes, which communicates with the Mediterranean by means of the Grand-Rouline canal. Gard is traversed by railways from Nimes to Alais, from Nimes to Beaucaire and thence to Marseilles, and from Nimes to Clette, through Montpellier. This department is rich in minerals, which constitute one of the chief sources of its wealth, though the mining is carried on in an unskilful manner. Iron, coal, and argeniferous lead mines are extensively worked; and manganese, zinc, antimony, &c., are found. Great quantities of salt are obtained from the salt marshes along the coast. The gypsum and other quarries employ a considerable number of workmen. The manufactures of this department are extensive and varied. The chief of these are silk, cotton, and woollen fabrics, hats, gloves, paper, leather, earthenware, and glass. Agriculture is in a rather backward state, and the land, though generally fertile, does not produce corn sufficient for the wants of the inhabitants. The chief grain crops are wheat, oats, rye, and barley. Lentils, peas, and potatoes are grown; and immense quantities of excellent chestnuts are produced on the slopes of the Cévennes. The vine is extensively cultivated, and yields excellent red and white wines. The olive, mulberry, fig, pomegranate, and other fruit-trees are abundant. Gard contains 4 arrondissements, 38 cantons, 347 communes, and 408,163 inhabitants, as follows:

| Canton | Communes | Pop. 1851 | |--------|----------|-----------| | Nimes | 11 | 73 | 148,564 | | Alais | 9 | 97 | 162,339 | | Uzes | 8 | 98 | 90,011 | | Le Vigan| 10 | 79 | 67,249 |

The chief town is Nimes, having (1851) 49,480 inhabitants.