a province of British India, in the presidency of Bombay, lying between N. Lat. 16° 22' and 18° 32', E. Long. 73° 24' and 76° 25'; bounded on the N. by the collectorate of Poona, N.E. and E. by that of Sholapore, S. by that of Belgaum, the southern Mahratta jahires, and the native state of Colapore, and W. by the collectorates of Rutnaghierry and Tannah. Length from N.W. to S.E. about 215 miles, breadth about 90; area, 11,000 square miles. The western frontier of the province is skirted by the Sadri Mountains, or Western Ghauts, which separate it from the Concan; and though very precipitous on the W. side, have a more gradual slope within the limits of Sattara, sinking towards the plains of Hyderabad to the S.E. The surface is, however, for the most part rugged, and broken by high ridges and isolated hills, and the soil is in general barren. All the rivers follow in their course the general declivity of the country, and discharge their waters finally into the Kista, which has its source and the upper part of its course within the province. Besides this, Sattara is watered by the Neera, and other rivers of smaller size. In the loiter districts of the country the climate is extremely moist; and in some parts of the Ghauts the annual fall of rain is sometimes nearly as much as 300 inches. In these districts the heat is alleviated by the great elevation of the country, and the mean annual temperature is about 65°. The lower parts of the province have a much greater degree of heat, and suffer greatly from want of rain; for sometimes not more than 23½ inches fall during the whole year. Sattara, however, enjoys a healthy climate; and, considering the mountainous and barren nature of the country, the population is pretty dense, being in the ratio of about 100 per square mile. The great majority of the people belong to the Mahratta race, which has had from the most remote antiquity its head-quarters in Sattara this part of India. From the period of the rise of their power under Sevaje, onwards until it had begun to decline, Sattara formed part of the Mahratta empire; and in 1818, when the rajah was delivered by the British from the durance in which he had been held by his peishwa or prime minister, the territory was assigned to him, along with several jaghires or feudal grants. The administration of the government was carried on for four years by a British agent, but after that time by the rajah himself. Disputes, however, arose between him and the Bombay government, which ended in his deposition and the elevation of his brother in 1839. This rajah died in 1848, leaving no issue; and as the line of Sevaje thus became extinct, the territory lapsed to the East India Company. During the reign of the last rajah a good road had been constructed from Sattara to Mahadushwar, and another to complete the communication between Sattara and Poona. Since the accession of the British to power, these improvements have been diligently carried forward by the addition of several other roads throughout the country. The net revenue of the province for 1855-56 was L132,587. Pop. 1,319,673.

the capital of the above province, in a valley between two ranges of hills on the E. and W., 56 miles S. of Poona, and 115 S.E. of Bombay. It has a strong fort, erected on the summit of a hill, about 1100 yards long by 500 across, and 800 feet in height. It is defended by the steepness of the rock, which at the N.E. corner has quite the appearance of a tower, having a perpendicular scarp of 42 feet, above which is a wall with an additional height of 25 feet. In 1700 this fort offered a vigorous resistance for two months to Aurungzebe, who besieged it in person, but it was reduced by blockade; and in 1818 a few bombshells procured its surrender to the British. The fort contains the old palace and numerous temples. It commands a fine view over the numerous hills of the surrounding country, many of them crowned with picturesque old forts. There is another palace in the town, a large but not very handsome edifice. In it is preserved, among other relics, the sword of Sevaje, a long, straight blade of fine polished steel.