(Fr. Soleure), a canton of Switzerland, in the N.W. of the country, lying between N. Lat. 47° 5' and 47° 30', E. Long. 7° 20' and 8°; having on the north the canton of Basel, east that of Aargau, south and west that of Bern. Its form is exceedingly irregular; its length from N.E. to S.W. is 36 miles; greatest breadth, 18; area, 290 square miles. The surface consists of two portions, one mountainous, occupied by the Jura range, and the other low, consisting chiefly of the valleys of the Aar and Emmen. The former comprises the north-western and the latter the south-eastern portion of the canton. The Jura Mountains extend from S.W. to N.E., and form a number of distinct parallel ridges, at no great distance from each other. The highest summits within the limits of Solothurn are the Weissenstein and the Hasenmott in the south-west, the latter being 4400 feet above the sea. The ridge nearest the low country is here the loftiest; those further north gradually diminish in height to little more than 1000 feet. In the lower part of the canton the chief river is the Aar, which flows in a somewhat irregular course from S.W. to N.E. Its chief affluent from the mountains is the Durnern, while on the other side it receives the Emmen. On the north side of the mountains a few small streams take their rise and flow directly into the Rhine; the others swell the current of that river by means of the Aar. The mountain-ridges in the canton are composed of the Jura limestone, and their slopes are covered with numerous large blocks of granite and gneiss. The soil is on the whole fertile, not only in the lower but even in some of the more elevated tracts. In the lowlands all the ordinary kinds of corn are grown in super-abundant quantities. The mountains are partially covered with forests of excellent timber, especially fir and beech; and there are many fine upland pastures and meadows. The canton contained in 1854—45,245 acres of arable land, 57,778 of meadows and pasture land, 445 of vineyards, 52,800 of forests, and 30,829 of uncultivated land. Vines are grown only in a few places, mulberry-trees are cultivated, and silk-worms reared. The inhabitants are employed to a large extent in pastoral pursuits, and especially in breeding cattle. In 1854 there were 4305 horses, 27,109 horned cattle, 8467 sheep, 7259 goats, and 17,409 swine in Solothurn. The number of milk cows was 10,901, producing 4910 cwt. of cheese and 5500 cwt. of butter. Several important mineral deposits are found within the limits of the canton. Extensive beds of iron lie at either base of the mountains; several mines are in operation, and the ore is smelted and worked at Balsthal and Klaus, near the middle of the canton. About 1865 tons of iron are annually produced. The country has also valuable quarries of limestone, some kinds of which are susceptible of a high polish, and go by the name of Solothurn marble. Excellent millstones are also obtained from this canton. Manufactures are not carried on to any great extent in Solothurn, and they are rather declining than increasing in importance, leather, paper, and woollen cloth being the principal articles made. Commerce, however, is in a flourishing condition. The horse fair held in the capital is one of the most frequented in Switzerland. The inhabitants are for the most part Roman Catholics, there being in 1850 only 8097 Protestants in the canton. A dialect of German is generally spoken. The means of education are widely diffused, and all children above seven are obliged to attend school. The government, according to the constitution of 1831, is republican. The legislative power belongs to the great council of 109 members, elected every six years by colleges of electors for each of the ten circles or districts into which the canton is divided. The executive consists of a smaller council of nine, elected by the members of the great council from their own number. The head of the government has the title of Landammann. Solothurn is represented in the Federal Assembly of Switzerland by three, and in the Council of Estates by two members. The total population in 1850 was 69,674, of whom 64,044 were citizens of the canton, 4652 citizens of other cantons, and 933 foreigners.

or Soleure, the capital of the above canton, stands at the foot of Mount Jura, on the Aar, here crossed by two bridges, 18 miles north of Bern. It was at one time regularly fortified; but the defences have been in recent times demolished, in pursuance of an order of the great council in 1835. The streets are broad, regular, and well paved, and there is a spacious market-place adorned with a fine fountain. Here stands the Cathedral of St Ursus, one of the finest churches in Switzerland, with a massive square tower 190 feet high. The town-hall is an ancient irregular building, with several turrets; and the government-house, arsenal, museum, theatre, and two churches, are handsome buildings. Solothurn has also a gymnasium with six professors, a lyceum with three, and a town library of 20,000 volumes. A few manufactures of cotton cloth, paper, leather, and hardware are carried on; and there is a small amount of trade. It was at Solothurn where the Polish patriot Kosciusko spent the last two years of his life, and where he died in 1817. Pop. 5370.