a town and province of Eastern Siberia, in the district of Yakutsk. The province consists of a narrow strip of country, along the shore of the sea of Okhotsk, about 1000 miles in length, and varying from 80 to 200 in breadth. It is traversed through its whole extent by the Stanovoi Mountains, which run along the sea coast, and send down a few small streams to the sea. Of these the chief is the Okhota. The climate is very severe; but there are some tracts of pasture-ground and clumps of trees. The rein-deer and the dog are the only tame animals; and furs and timber are the only articles of produce. Fish is obtained along the coasts; and shoals of small whales are occasionally met with. The district is used as a penal settlement for the most incorrigible criminals, with whom and their descendants it is for the most part peopled. Pop. about 7000. The town of Okhotsk stands at the mouth of the Okhota. N. Lat. 59, 21, E. Long. 142, 45. It consists of a collection of ill-built and irregularly arranged loghouses; and has a government house, hospital, church, storehouses, &c. It is the principal station of the Russo-American trading company, who convey furs hither from America, and hence to Kiachta, to exchange for Chinese goods. Pop. 957.

Sea of, an inlet of the North Pacific Ocean, between Kamtschatka and Siberia, extending from N. Lat. 50. to 60., E. Long. 137. to 155. From its N. E. extremity the gulfs of Ighinisk and Perjinsk stretch into the land. Its depth is generally great, and there are few islands. Near the coast it is frozen for 6 months of the year.

ÖLAND, or ÖEAND, an island in the Baltic, belonging to Sweden, included in the lan of Kalmar, and separated from the mainland by the Kalmar Sound, which varies from 3 to 15 miles in breadth. Length 85 miles; average breadth 8; area 608 square miles. The western shores are low; those to the east high and steep; and the prevalent formation throughout the island is limestone. To the north are a few small lakes; but no considerable streams anywhere occur. The soil, though scanty, is fertile; and a great part of the surface is covered with fine forests. Cattle and sheep are extensively reared; and deer, wild boars, and other game abound. Öland is famous for its breed of ponies of very small size. The weaving of cloth is carried on, and furnishes an article of export trade. The island contains several villages, of which Borgholm the capital, on the west coast, is the chief. The people are extensively employed in fishing and navigation; and there is an alum mine, the most important in the kingdom, which employs about 300 hands. Pop. 33,000.