a government in the S. of European Russia, on the N. shore of the Black Sea, between N. Lat. 46.10° and 49°, and E. Long. 29.20° and 34°. It is bounded N. by the governments of Kiev and Poltava, E. by Ekaterinoslav and Taurida, S. by the Black Sea, and W. by Besarabia and Podolia. It is about 250 miles in length from E. to W. by 180 miles in breadth, and has an area of 28,280 square miles. With the exception of the S.W. part, where are some of the last ramifications of the Carpathians, and a hilly portion in the N.E., the government consists almost entirely of an immense steppe, destitute of trees, but covered with long grass. In the S.W. and N.E. parts there are considerable forests. The Dnieper flows along a great part of its W. border, and the Dnieper along its E. The principal of its other rivers is the Bug, which flows southward through the territory, dividing it into two not very unequal parts. The climate is very variable, and characterized by extremes both of heat and cold. Agriculture is but little attended to, the country being much better adapted for pasturage. The sheep are numerous, and of a superior breed. Among the horned cattle, buffaloes are common. Wild animals are abundant, especially wolves and wild cats. Flax, hemp, tobacco, saffron, and liquorice, are cultivated. Several varieties of the vine are cultivated, and wine of an inferior quality is made. The fisheries are important, both on the sea-coast and in the rivers. Its Kherson commerce, carried on at Odessa and Kherson, is very extensive. Pop. (1851) 889,205.

Kherson, the capital of the above province, is situated on the right bank of the Dnieper, 90 miles E.N.E. of Odessa. It was founded in 1778, and fortified in 1780, and soon rose to be a place of importance; but the want of sufficient depth of water for large vessels, and the rise of Odessa with superior advantages for trade, led to its decline. It is divided into four parts—the citadel, the admiralty, and the Greek and military suburbs. The first contains the different government offices, cathedral, arsenal, barracks, and prison. In the admiralty quarter are extensive docks, building-yards, and storehouses, but these are now little used. The trade of the town is inconsiderable, with the exception of that in timber. Howard, the philanthropist, died here in 1790; and over his grave, about 3 miles N. of the town, is an obelisk erected by the Emperor Alexander. Pop. (1851) 24,338.

Khiva, a kingdom or khanat of Turkistan in Asia, bounded on the N. by Ust-urt and the Sea of Aral, N.E. by the Desert of Kizil Koum, E. by Bokhara, S. by Merve and Persia, and W. by the Caspian Sea. Its extent is variously estimated at 150,000 to 450,000 square miles. It is for the most part a series of arid steppes broken by oases of various magnitude. Of these, the most important—constituting the khanat properly so called—is a narrow tract lying on the W. bank of the Oxus (now called the Amor Deria, or Jihun), along the lower part of its course. It is in length about 150 miles, and in area about 4000 square miles, watered by innumerable canals, carefully cultivated, and thickly inhabited. The climate of Khiva is dry, and, on the whole, healthy, though the extremes of summer heat and winter cold are considerable. The clearness of the sky is specially remarkable. The soil is naturally arid, but irrigation and manure have rendered it very productive. Among the principal vegetable products are wheat, barley, rice, millet, cotton, the mulberry, vine, apple and apricot, peas, lentils, melons, potatoes, &c. The country generally is destitute of wood, but the region on the E. side of the Oxus produces forest trees. The Sheik-Djeli, a range of hills running parallel to the Oxus, between Lat. 42° 20' and 40° 35', are said to contain gold and copper, but these minerals are not worked. Limestone, salt, and sulphur, are found in quantities sufficient for economic use. The numbers of the population are very variously estimated—by some authorities at 200,000, by others at 2,000,000. Slavery is general; and the power of the khan is absolute. The capital, Khiva, is a collection of low mud houses, containing from 5000 to 10,000 inhabitants. The manufactures and commerce of the country are inconsiderable, the stationary population being chiefly occupied in agriculture; while the Turkomans live, for the most part, by cattle-breeding and plunder. Some cotton, woollen, and silk stuffs, earthenware, &c., are made and exported; about 2000 camels' loads of agricultural produce, silk, &c., are annually sent to Orenburg, Astrakhan, and Cabul. The chief trade is with Russia and Bokhara, and none but Mohammedans are allowed to traffic within the khanat. The Khivans are of the Sunnite persuasion—one great cause of enmity between them and the Persians.

Khiva is part of the ancient Chorasmia, or Kharazm; which, after owning the sovereignty of China and Persia, was an independent kingdom from the tenth to the thirteenth century. In 1221 it was conquered by Genghis Khan, from whose descendant it was wrested by Timur in 1379. Early in the sixteenth century it was overrun, with the rest of Turkistan, by the Uzbeks, the race which has continued dominant there to this day. Their language is the Turkish. Nearly equal to them in numbers are the Tanjiks or Sarts, a Persian race, said to be the original inhabitants. The nomadic tribes are the Turkomans or Trukmans, the Karakalpaks, and the Kirghiz. Of these, the Turkomans are the least subordinate to the khan. They rear large herds of horses (prized for their beauty), cattle, and sheep, but are still fond of plunder and kidnapping. The number of Russian subjects detained as captives in Khiva moved the Czar, in 1839, to send an expedition against the khan. The difficulties of the march prevented it from reaching its destination, but since then the Russians have been permitted to erect forts on the line of their caravan route into the territories of the khan. The extension of their frontier in this direction is probably only a matter of time.

Khoi, a walled town of Persia, province of Azerbijan, on a tributary of the Kar, 15 miles N. of Lake Urmiah. It is situate in a very fertile district, and is described as one of the best built towns in the Persian empire. The streets are wide and regular; and are shaded by rows of trees. Khoi carries on a considerable trade between Turkey and Persia. In the plain of Khoi, Shah Ismael signalily defeated the Turks under Selim I., in 1514. Pop. about 15,000.

Khojend, a town of Independent Turkistan, Central Asia, and Khanat of Khokan, on the Jaxartes, 90 miles W. of Khokan. It is surrounded by walls and wet-ditches, and intersected by canals. It manufactures coarse cotton goods, and carries on a considerable trade in these, and Russian merchandise. Caravans entering the Khanat from Bokhara pay toll at Khojend.

Khokan, Kokan, or Ferghana, a khanat of Independent Turkistan, Central Asia, between N. Lat. 40° and 45°, and E. Long. 67° and 75°; bounded N. by the Kirghiz Steppe, E. and S.E. by Chinese Turkistan, S. by Bokhara and the tableland of Pamire, and W. by the Kara-kalpak territory. It is for the most part mountainous, comprising part of that lofty region which forms the W. wall of the great plateau of E. Asia. The principal river is the Jaxartes or Syr, which flows at first westward, and afterwards northward, through the territory, dividing it into two nearly equal parts. The plains and valleys near the Jaxartes, or its tributary streams, are generally rich and fertile, while in other parts, the land is comparatively arid and sterile. Khokan is more of a pastoral than an agricultural territory, although there are many cultivated spots scattered over its surface. One of the chief productions of the country is silk, for which it has long been famous. Cotton is another of its staple productions. Corn, and the various fruits of Europe, especially grapes and melons, are grown. The hills are covered with pine, poplar, almond, walnut, pistachio, and other trees. Large flocks of sheep are pastured here, and wool constitutes an important article of export. The climate is one of extremes; in summer, heat is great and parching, and little rain falls till towards the end of harvest, while the winter is very severe, though there is not much snow. The mineral products are coal, iron, copper, jasper, lapis-lazuli, &c. The chief manufactures are silk and cotton stuffs. The inhabitants are mostly Uzbeks, who are shepherds, and a few Tanjiks, who live in villages, and are described as a stout, fair, and high-complexioned people; quiet and hospitable; and fond of the chase. There are also several wandering tribes of Kirghiz.

Khokan, the capital of the above khanat, is situate on the left bank of the Jaxartes, 230 miles N.E. of Samarqand, and about the same distance N.W. of Kashgar. It is an open town, the palace only being surrounded by a mud wall. The streets are unpaved and narrow, and the houses mostly of mud. It has numerous mosques, and several bazaars and caravansaries. The chief manufactures are silk and cotton stuffs; and the trade in cattle and silk is considerable. The vicinity is fertile and well cultivated. Pop. about 50,000.

Khoooloom, Khulum, or Tash-Kurgan, a town of Central Asia, khanat of Koondcoz, on the Khoooloom River, Khorasan, a tributary of the Oxus, and on the high road between Balkh and Koondooz, 40 miles E. by S. of the former, and 68 W. by S. of the latter; N. Lat. 36° 38', E. Long. 68. It is surrounded by mud walls, and defended by two forts of the same material. Pop. about 10,000.