a province of Persia, lying along the S.W. shore of the Caspian Sea. It is bounded on the N.E. by the Caspian, S.E. by the province of Mazaunderan, S. by Irak-Ajemi, W. by Azerbaijan, and N. by the Russian district of Talish. It is about 120 miles in length by 50 in breadth, being between 36. 25. and 37. 45. N. Lat., and between 48. 35. and 50. 47. E. Long: area, estimated at 5000 square miles. This is one of the most beautiful of the Persian provinces, being covered with lofty mountains and magnificent forests, forming a striking contrast to the parched plains of the rest of Persia. In many places, however, it is swampy and unhealthy. It is hemmed in on the S. and W. by the Elburz range of mountains, which rises to the height of from 6000 to 9000 feet, and can be crossed only by extremely steep and difficult passes. The interior and much of the coast line are intersected by morasses. and thickly covered with forests of oak, boxwood, mulberry, and walnut trees. The only river of importance is the Kezil-Oozan, which descends from the Elburz mountains with the rapidity of a torrent, and flows with a meandering course through Ghilan to the Caspian. The soil is fertile, yielding abundantly rice, wheat, hemp, hops, and many kinds of fruit, as lemons, oranges, peaches, grapes, and pomegranates. Silk, however, is the most celebrated of the productions of this province, and constitutes the principal employment of the inhabitants. It is annually exported in great quantities to Irak, Fars, Kerman, and Russia. Ghilan was ceded by Persia to Russia in 1724, taken by Catherine in 1780, and restored to Persia in 1797.