a Baltic seaport-town of Russia, government of Courland, at the mouth of a cognominal stream, 54 miles N. of Memel; N. Lat. 56° 50', E. Long. 20° 48'. It is surrounded with walls, but its streets are irregular and ill paved. The houses have generally but one storey, and are constructed of wood. The chief public buildings are—an hospital, an orphan asylum, and three Protestant and one Catholic church. The trade of the port is considerable, embracing the products of Courland, such as flax, hemp, grain, leather, and timber, which are exported to Western Europe in large quantities; and including as imports, coal, salt, sugar, machinery, herrings, and wine, sent hither chiefly from Britain and America. The harbour of Libau is formed by a lagoon, with only 12 feet of water at the bar, which obliges large vessels to anchor in the roadstead about two miles from the town, and receive their cargoes by means of lighters. The total value of imports into this town amounted in 1851 to £25,563, and in 1852 to £21,800; while the total value of exports in 1851 amounted to £166,750, and in 1852 to £142,084. Of the latter, goods to the value of £8,291 were shipped coastwise in sixty-three vessels. Pop. (1852) 8961.