a department in the W. of France, bounded on the N. by that of Côtes-du-Nord, E. by Ille-et-Vilaine, S. by Loire-Inférieure and the Bay of Biscay, Morbihan, and W. by Finistère. It lies between 47° 27' and 48° 15' N. Lat., and 2° 1' and 3° 38' W. Long.; and its length from E. to W. is 72 miles, by 52 in extreme breadth. Area, 3627 square miles. The coast is very much indented, and contains one remarkable inlet called the Morbihan, from which the department takes its name. The entrance is narrow, but it spreads out to a large extent inland, and contains numerous islands. To the west of the entrance of the Morbihan is the peninsula of Quiberon, extending southwards into the sea for 10 miles, and connected with the mainland by a narrow isthmus, which is covered with water at the highest tides. The bay to the east affords excellent anchorage, and is capable of containing a large number of vessels. It is protected by a fort built on the peninsula.

Several islands lie off the coast of the department, the largest of which is Belle-Ile, to the south of Quiberon. The surface of Morbihan is rugged and hilly. In the north there is a range of hills covered with barren moors and heaths; but in the lower grounds there are many fertile valleys. The soil is not deep, except near the coast. The rocks of the department belong principally to the primary formation, but in some places stratified and crystalline deposits occur. There are numerous rivers, but none of any great size; they flow generally from N. to S., and some are navigable for a short distance from their mouth. The most important are,—the Blavet, Oust, Auray, and Vilaine. Morbihan is traversed by two canals, one of which follows the course of the Blavet; the other, connecting Nantes with Brest, crosses the department from S.E. to N.W. The climate is mild, but foggy; and the principal wind is from the S.W. Agriculture is not in a very advanced state, and the cultivated land is comparatively small in extent, amounting to about 666,500 acres. The pasture land occupies 170,637 acres; woods, 88,372 acres; and the moors and heaths, 720,415 acres. The department produces corn in greater quantity than is necessary for the supply of the inhabitants, so that a considerable part is exported. Rye and buckwheat are the kinds principally grown. Maize, potatoes, hemp, flax, and apples for cider, are also among the productions of Morbihan. It is further estimated to contain 295,000 horned cattle, 255,000 sheep, 10,000 goats, 60,000 swine, and 42,000 horses. Bees are kept in large numbers, and produce a very excellent quality of honey. The department contains iron and tin mines, which are worked to a considerable extent, besides quarries of granite and other building stones, slates, clay, &c., and salt-pans at various places on the coast. The manufactures of Morbihan consist chiefly of iron, linen, cloth, leather, paper, and porcelain. Ship-building is carried on to a great extent, especially at Lorient, where many of the best men-of-war in the French navy are constructed. The fisheries, especially of sardines, in which branch alone 500 boats are engaged, give employment to a large number of the inhabitants of the coast, and yield annually more than L60,000. The principal articles exported are horses, cattle, corn, rye bread, honey, wax, fish, salt meat, &c. Morbihan is divided into four arrondissements, as follows:

| Canton | Communes | Population (1851) | |--------|----------|------------------| | Vannes | 11 | 74 | 132,171 | | Pontivy | 7 | 45 | 105,984 | | Lorient | 11 | 49 | 148,779 | | Ploermel | 8 | 61 | 91,238 |

In 1856, however, the department contained 234 communes and 473,932 inhabitants. The capital is Vannes; but the most populous town is Lorient, which has nearly twice as many inhabitants. The people of Morbihan, like those of the other parts of Brittany, are of Celtic origin, and speak a language similar to the Welsh and Cornish dialects of our island, which have the same origin. They Morcelli are very much behind the rest of the French in civilization, and preserve almost unchanged the dress, manners, and superstitions of their ancestors. Morbihan forms the bishopric of Vannes, and has two tribunals of commerce at Vannes and Lorient.