La, a territory and province of Spain, in New Castle. The territory of La Mancha comprised part of each of the four provinces of Toledo, Albacete, Cuenca, and Ciudad-Real—the latter almost wholly, whence it is still called the province of La Mancha. It is the second province of Spain in point of extent, containing 668 square leagues of level country. From this circumstance, and the apparent scarcity of water and the want of trees, and from the population being concentrated at various points, instead of covering the country,—the whole province presents to the traveller the arid and cheerless aspect of a desert. The principal river is the Guadiana, which rises about 2 leagues from Villarubia, and enters the province of Badajoz near Castilblanco. Most of the other rivers of the province—the Azuer, Jabalon, Giguela, &c.—flow into the Guadiana. The Guadalmena has also a course of about 6 leagues through part of La Mancha. No advantage, however, is taken of these and the other streams in the province for irrigation, the inhabitants depending entirely on the rain; a neglect for which they have been frequently visited by famine. Besides the numerous streams, there are few spots where water may not be found a few yards beneath the surface; but neither of these supplies has been turned to good account. This province abounds in valuable mines; those of cinnamon in Almaden were well known to the ancients. In 1844 there were thirty-seven of lead and twelve of copper, and a few of silver. There are, besides, manufactures of saltpetre in several parts; quarries of fine stone at Santa Cruz and elsewhere; the white-chalk or tierra del vino, is famous. The agricultural products are,—wheat, barley, rye, various legumes, saffron, &c. A good deal of wine and brandy, but not much oil, is made. Hemp is grown in some districts. The mules reared in La Mancha are considered the best in or out of Spain. There are manufactures of woollen clothes, earthenware, saltpetre, gunpowder, and some other articles. The lace of Almagro is exported to all quarters of the kingdom. Grain is exported chiefly to Murcia, Valencia, and Madrid, in which city also the wine and oil of the province find a market. A so-called university existed in Almagro till 1824, since which time there are only primary institutions in La Mancha; nor are these numerous or well distributed. The province contains ten partidos, with a population in 1847 of 277,788.