or Novogorod, a government of Russia, lying between N. Lat. 57° 18' and 61° 8', E. Long. 30° 10' and 39° 40.; and bounded on the N. by Olonetz, E. by Vologda and Yaroslavl, S. by Tver, and S.W., W., and N.W. by Pskov and St Petersburg; area, 46,833 square miles. The country is diversified with hills, valleys, plains, marshes, rivers, and lakes; the northern part is in general low and flat; but in the south the Valdai hills stretch for about 100 miles from S.W. to N.E., though these do not exceed 300 feet in height. The principal rivers are the Msta, which enters the government from Tver, flows north-west, and falls into Lake Ilmen; the Lovat, Pola, and Schelen, which fall into the same lake; the Volchov, which flows from that lake into the Ladoga Canal; the Schekona and Vologda, tributaries of the Volga; and the Sias and Buscha, which fall into Lake Ladoga. There are altogether in the government forty-two rivers, and fifty-five small, besides three large lakes. Of these last, the most extensive is the Bielo Ozero, or White Lake, in the north-east, which is 26 miles in length, about as much in breadth, and 432 square miles in extent. Lake Ilmen, near the western extremity, has a length of 26 miles, Novgorod, a breadth of 16, and an area of 346 square miles; and Lake Vosche has a length of 14 miles, and an area of 177 square miles. There is a canal, 5 miles in length, connecting the rivers Msta and Volchov, by which navigation is carried on without passing through Lake Ilmen, as that extensive sheet of water is liable to dangerous storms. The soil in the southern parts is good and productive; but in the north it is very swampy, consisting for the most part of peat bogs. The climate is cold, and the winter long, lasting from November to May; while in the northern parts the cold is extreme, and the winter about a month longer than in the south. A large part of the land is covered with dense forests of pine, fir, birch, alder, elm, and other trees, which supply abundance of timber for export, and give shelter to great numbers of deer, elks, bears, wolves, lynxes, and other wild animals. The people are chiefly engaged in agriculture; and the principal crops are rye, barley, oats, buckwheat, potatoes, peas, flax, and hemp. Although there is much fine pasture ground, the inclemency and length of the winters prevent the rearing of more cattle than is necessary for farming; horses, oxen, and sheep of the common Russian breeds, and a few goats and pigs, are kept. Next to agriculture, fishing is the most general occupation of the people; it is carried on with great success on the lakes and rivers. Coal, iron, freestone, slate, lime, marl, &c., are among the mineral produce of Novgorod; and there are also good salt springs. The manufactures are not very extensive; and consist of coarse linen, soap, candles, potash, &c. Distilling, iron-smelting, and bell-making are also carried on. The exports of the province consist entirely of home produce, especially corn, hemp, flax, iron, timber, salt, hides, and furs. The principal place of trade is Novgorod, the capital. The government is divided into ten circles. Pop. (1846) 907,900.

capital of the above government, stands on the Volchov, where it issues from Lake Ilmen, 120 miles S.S.E. of St Petersburg. It is one of the most ancient towns in Russia, having been founded in the fifth century of the Christian era by the Slavonians, who had long previously invaded Europe, and followed a wandering mode of life. Their government was at first democratic, but dissensions having broken out and greatly weakened their power, Ruric was invited in the ninth century to assume the government, and he established at Novgorod the original foundation of the Russian monarchy, the seat of which was soon afterwards removed to Kiev. Novgorod afterwards acquired many privileges from the Russian archdukes; and in the twelfth century became an independent republic under a hereditary magistrate of limited power. In the thirteenth century a factory of the Hanseatic League was established here; and for a long time Novgorod was the most important commercial city in the north-east of Europe. Its fairs were resorted to by the Hanse merchants, and by people from all the neighbouring countries; and in the fifteenth century it is said, though not probably with truth, to have contained 400,000 inhabitants. Indeed, so great was its power and prosperity at this time as to give rise to the saying, "Quis contra Deum et magnam Novgorodiam?" But this did not last long; for in 1477 its independence was completely destroyed by Ivan Vassilievich I.; and in 1570 Ivan IV. took occasion, from a reasonable correspondence of some of the citizens with Poland, to massacre more than 25,000 of the inhabitants. The trade of the place was still considerable, until the foundation of St Petersburg, which monopolized the Baltic trade, and completely destroyed the importance of Novgorod. It now presents most unmistakeable marks of fallen greatness in its ruinous buildings, dilapidated walls, and grassgrown streets. The Kremlin, or fortress, stands on the north side of the river, and is connected by a fine stone Novgorod-Sieversk, a town of Russia, capital of a district in the government of Tschernigov, stands on the right bank of the Desna, 109 miles E.N.E. of Tschernigov. It is surrounded by walls, and has a castle, but neither is in a good state of repair. An active trade in corn, hemp, and lime is carried on; and several large fairs are held annually. Pop. (1849) 10,544.