a department in the S. of France, bounded on the N.E. by Gard, N.W. by Aveyron and Tarn, and S. by Aude and the Gulf of Lyons. It formed part of the old province of Languedoc, and has an area of 2444 square miles; between N. Lat. 43° 10' and 44°, E. Long. 2° 30' and 4° 10'. Its greatest length is 84 miles, breadth 50. About a third of the department consists of moorland, heath, and common; a fourth of arable land; a sixth of vineyards; and an eighth of wood.

The S. prolongation of the Cevennes Mountains forms the N. boundary of the department, under the names of Garrigues, Orbe, Espinous, and the Black Mountains. The highest point is about 4250 feet above the sea-level. The ridge forms the watershed between the waters of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, and from it there flow the Vidourle, Masson, Hérault, Livron, and Orbe. Of these the Hérault, 80 miles long, is the chief, and gives name to the department. The Orbe forms the boundary between the department and that of Gard.

The high mountains of the N. are partly barren, partly wooded. In the extensive plains of the centre the vine and olive flourish, and in the S. grain is produced. The soil of the N. is chalky clay, of the centre light gravel, and of the S. a strong rich loam. The "garrigues" are considerable portions of waste land, covered with heath, shrubs, &c., Mont St Loup, Conques, and St Thiberg, the first of which is 750 feet high, are extinct volcanic cones.

The greater part of the S. coast consists of a series of salt marshes, separated from the sea by a narrow strip of land. The Marsh of Thau, the largest, stretches from the mouth of the Hérault, and communicates, through the Marsh of Frontignan, with that of Mangino, on the E. frontier of the department. The Canal du Midi, after stretching about 30 miles into the department, terminates at Agde. From Cette the navigation is kept up through the marshes by the canals of Agde and Rodelle to Aigues Mortes. The coastline of the department is 66 miles long. Besides the canal navigation the department has seven national roads, one of which is the main route between Paris and Spain; also a railroad joins Cette, Montpellier, and Nismes.

The climate generally is warm, dry, and healthy, except near the marshes which cause agues and fevers. The prevailing winds are N.E. and S.E.

Fish abound in the salt marshes. The vegetable productions comprise aromatic and dyeing plants; the Ilex oak prevails in the forest. The mineral wealth of the department is considerable. Mines of lignite, coal, iron, copper, and lead are wrought. It produces magnificent blocks of marble; also alabaster, gypsum, granite, sandstone, potters' clay, alum; and the marshes supply France with salt.

Wine and oil constitute the chief agricultural wealth of the department. The red wines of St Georges, Viragues, St Christol, and the white wines of Frontignan and Lunel, are held in high estimation. The annual quantity of wine produced in Hérault is more than 45,000,000 gallons. Of this a fifth is consumed by the department, a fifth is exported as wine, and the remainder converted into spirits for commerce. Considerable quantities of wheat and oats are grown; also mulberries, pomegranates, figs, raisins and other dried fruits, and olives, are prepared for exportation. The department rears 10,000 horses, and upwards of half a million of sheep.

Woollen, cotton, and silk factories are established in the department. There are also paper-mills, distilleries, and factories for verdigris and other chemical substances.

Hérault is divided into 4 arrondissements, 36 cantons, and 326 communes, as follows:

| Arrondissements | Cantons | Communes | Pop. in 1887 | |-----------------|---------|----------|-------------| | Montpellier | 14 | 113 | 148,649 | | Béziers | 12 | 97 | 134,605 | | Lodève | 5 | 72 | 56,709 | | St Pons | 5 | 44 | 49,332 |

The capital is Montpellier.