(Germ. Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha), a small duchy of Germany, comprising, besides several smaller portions, two separate districts, forming the duchies of Coburg and Gotha respectively, lying between N. Lat. 50° 8' and 51° 20'; E. Long. 10° 15' and 11° 14'. The duchy of Gotha, which forms the northern portion, is bounded by Prussia on the N.; by Saxe-Weimar on the E. and W.; by Saxe-Meiningen, Hesse-Cassel, Prussia, and Schwartzburg, on the S.; while that of Coburg is bounded on the W. and N. by Saxe-Meiningen; E. and S. by Bavaria. The area and population are as follows:

| | Sq. miles | Pop. (1855) | |----------|-----------|-------------| | Coburg | 212 | 44,467 | | Gotha | 647 | 106,611 | | Total | 759 | 150,878 |

The surface is in both the duchies partly occupied with mountains; that of Gotha lies on the northern slope of the Thuringian Forest, which extends along its south-western frontier; while the rest of this duchy consists of low, undulating, and very fertile land. The loftiest summits of the Thuringian chain are Schneeekopf, 3119 feet high; Beerberg, 3140 feet; and Inselsberg, 2909 feet. In the duchy of Coburg there are extensive forests, and many beautiful valleys among the hills. The slope here is towards the south; and the chief river is the Itz, which flows in that direction, and falls into the Main. In Gotha, the Werra, an affluent of the Weser, takes its rise, and flows N.W.; and the Unstrut forms the eastern boundary, and flows northwards to join the Saale. The extent of arable land in the duchy is 1,139,819 acres; of wood, 600,569 acres; of meadows, 147,599 acres; of gardens, 31,766; and of waste land, 143,637 acres. Agriculture is carried on with much care, and is the chief occupation of the people. Corn and flax are the crops most generally raised; also pulse, potatoes, and other vegetables, are cultivated. The soil is very rich and fertile in the valleys and plains; and the climate is throughout the country healthy. In Coburg it is very mild; but in the mountainous parts of Gotha of a more inclement character. Pastoral employments are actively pursued by many of the inhabitants; the sheep especially are of an excellent breed, and the horses and cattle are not bad. There were, in 1852, 7063 horses; 56,207 horned cattle; 120,693 sheep; 18,266 goats; and 36,207 pigs. Fish abound in the rivers, and wild animals in the forests of the country. The German mole infests the land in vast numbers. Among the minerals, iron, coal, cobalt, and manganese, are worked; marble, alabaster, rock-salt, porcelain-clay, &c., are also found. The manufactures, especially of the duchy of Gotha, are of some importance. The weaving of linen, woollen, and cotton fabrics; paper-making; the manufacture of iron, copper, and steel; of chemical products, tobacco, beer, brandy, and vinegar, are extensively carried on; while much potash, tar, pitch, &c., are prepared in the woods. The trade of the country is considerable. Among the exports are corn, wool, salt, timber, metallic and wooden wares, porcelain, marble, lamp-black, &c. There is also a considerable transit trade, as the duchy of Gotha is traversed by a line of railway which communicates with Leipzig on the one side, and with Frankfort on the other. The educational establishments include 3 gymnasia, a progymnasium, 2 normal seminaries, numerous industrial and other schools, and upwards of 300 elementary schools. The form of government in Saxe-Coburg-Gotha is monarchical. The highest office, which is hereditary in the male line, is occupied by the duke, who exercises the executive power; and in the legislature is limited by a diet. Each of the duchies has a separate diet, that of Coburg consisting of 11, and that of Gotha of 19 members; but, besides these, there is one general diet for the whole state, to which the Coburg diet appoints 7, and that of Gotha 14 members. The elections to the separate diets take place by means of electors equal in number to the members to be chosen, each appointed by a certain district of the country. The duration of a diet is four years, and it must meet at least in the first and last of these, while not more than six months must intervene between two diets. The duke has the power of summoning, adjourning, and dissolving the diets. Under the upper court of appeal at Jena, the judicial authority in the duchy is exercised by two colleges of justice, beneath which there are several inferior courts. There is no established form of religion; but all alike enjoy the protection of the law. The duke, and the great majority of his subjects, belong to the Lutheran Church; while there are about 2300 Roman Catholics, and 1200 Jews, in the country. The annual revenue of Coburg for the financial period 1855–61 is estimated at L.34,725, and the annual expenditure (including L.5581 interest of the debt) at L.34,312. In the administration of the public lands the annual receipts for 1855–61, were estimated at L.15,118, and the expenditure at L.10,488. As to the duchy of Gotha, the public revenue for the period 1858–61 was estimated at L.83,478 annually; and the expenditure (including L.13,303 interest on the debt) at L.83,913. The public debt amounts to L.157,346, including L.60,000 of paper money. The annual receipts of the public lands in this duchy are L.80,724, and the annual expenditure L.55,802. The military force of the country amounts to one regiment of 1860 men. Coburg, which, in the earliest times, was immediately dependent on the emperor, came, in 1348, to the house of Meissen, and through it, in 1428, to that of Saxony. By the treaty of Leipzig, in 1485, it fell to the Ernestine line of the latter house; and, in 1542, was made a separate duchy under John Ernest, brother of the elector, John Frederick, who regained it in 1554, after his brother's death. Meanwhile this prince had been deprived, in 1547, by the emperor of his electoral lands and dignity, but received as compensation several lands, among which was the present duchy of Gotha. Various and continually changing divisions of the country among the descendants of John Frederick I. took place, during which Coburg and Gotha, which then formed a part of Weimar, were assigned now to one and now to another branch of the family. Gotha first became an independent state in 1640, under Duke Ernest the Pious; and was afterwards increased by the gradual addition of other lands, until it included all the territory of the Ernestine house, with the exception of Weimar. Ernest, however, died in 1675, leaving seven sons; who, after reigning jointly for five years, proceeded to a partition of the country, and founded seven new lines, viz., Gotha, Coburg, Meiningen, Römhild, Eisenberg, Hildburghausen, and Saalfeld. Of these the second was the first to expire, in 1699, when the district of Coburg was annexed to Saalfeld. Gotha obtained, in 1707, the possessions of the extinct line of Eisenberg; and, in 1710, only the four lines of Gotha, Meiningen, Hildburghausen, and Saalfeld, remained. Frederick II., grandson of Ernest the Pious, introduced the right of primogeniture into Gotha; and the duchy has not since been divided. His family, however, became extinct in 1823. Meanwhile the house of Saalfeld, which, in 1745, assumed the title of Coburg-Saalfeld, obtained several accessions of land at the congress of Vienna; and, in 1826, a new division of the country was adopted. Gotha was then joined to Coburg, while Saalfeld and other districts were transferred to Meiningen. The ducal family of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, formerly of Saalfeld, descending from the youngest son of Ernest the Pious, has been rendered illustrious by its connection with several of the royal families of Europe. The prince-consort of this country is the brother and heir-apparent of the reigning duke; the father of the present king of Portugal is his cousin; and another of his cousins is married to a daughter of Louis Philippe of France; while one of his uncles is king of Belgium. Important reforms in the constitution were introduced in 1846, and consequently no serious revolutionary outbreak took place in 1848.