a long strip of country extending along the west coast of Further India, between N. Lat. 10° 48' and 18° 52'; E. Long. 96° 35' and 99° 30'. Length from north to south 500 miles; greatest breadth about 80, area estimated at 30,000 square miles. It forms part of the British possessions, and is divided into the four provinces of Amherst, Tavoy, Ye, and Mergui. It is bounded on the E. and N. by Siam and its tributary states, from which it is separated by the Siamese range of mountains; on the W. it is separated from Pegu by the Salween, and bounded also by the Bay of Bengal; while on the S. it comes to a point at the mouth of the River Packshan. The coast of this country, which is extensive in comparison with the area, presents in its general character a great uniformity. It is, except at the deltas of the larger rivers, bold and rocky, indented with many creeks, and lined with clusters of small islands, the most important of which is the Mergui Archipelago, lying opposite the province of that name. The general character of the surface is mountainous; but there are also extensive plains and valleys, watered by rivers of considerable size. The mountains run in three parallel chains from N.W. to S.S.E., and vary in height from 3000 to nearly 5000 feet above the sea, those nearest the sea being inferior to the more inland ranges. From base to summit they are covered with dense forests and brushwood, which extend in some places to the very edge of the sea. The largest river entirely within the limits of the country is the Tenasserim, which flows for about 200 miles southwards, parallel to the mountains, then turns westwards, and falls by several mouths into the sea. The Salween is a much larger river, but belongs more properly to the Burman empire than to Tenasserim, as the greater part of its course is in the former country, and it only separates for a short distance Tenasserim from Pegu. It flows southwards, and enters the sea near Moulmain. The Sitang and the Attaran, which both flow from east to west, fall into the Salween; a short distance above its mouth are the chief other rivers of the country. The Packshan forms the S.E. boundary of Tenasserim, and flows S.W. into the sea. The tide flows for some distance up all these rivers; and they can all be navigated, though the channels are sometimes intricate and interrupted. And not only do they thus facilitate internal communications and commerce, but by annually overflowing the surrounding country they also greatly fertilize the soil. The climate is remarkably uniform, both in the different parts of the country and in the different seasons of the year. The heat is in general very great, especially in the month of April, when it rises above 100°. From June till October the rainy season lasts; but in some parts of the country there are showers more or less frequent through all the year. It is remarkable that, notwithstanding its heat and moisture, Tenasserim is a very healthy country; the mortality both among Europeans and Hindoos being less here than in any other part of British India. Agriculture is only carried on to a limited extent, as but a small proportion of the area has been cleared and brought into cultivation. Rice is one of the chief crops raised, especially in the north, where the alluvial regions are more extensive than in the other parts. Cotton is not indigenous to the country, but has been introduced from Western India; it is grown to a small extent, chiefly along the rivers' banks. The sugar-cane thrives well, but is not extensively cultivated. Tobacco is raised for home consumption, as also are the betel-nut, the areca-nut, and other plants. The vast forests afford supplies of valuable timber. Teak grows in abundance on the upper course of the Attaran; jack-trees, sapan-trees, sandalwood-trees, and many trees yielding caoutchouc are also found here. Spices of all kinds are abundant. The wild animals which roam over the uncleared country are numerous; elephants, rhinoceroses, and tigers being the chief. Of the mineral resources of the country one of the most important is coal, which is found in considerable quantities and of good quality near Tavoy, and also on the River Packshan. Iron exists throughout the country, and tin in the southern portion. Gold has been found in the sands of some rivers, and copper in some of the islands of the Mergui Archipelago. In some places sulphureous springs exist. The tin seems to have been worked at a remote period; but the other minerals have not yet been turned to much account. Tenasserim is inhabited by several different races of people, and it is not certainly known which of them formed the original population. The Talians, who speak a different language from the Burmese, are at present the most numerous; but with them are intermingled Karens, Siamese, Burmese, Peguans, and Toungthoos, and the language of Burmah is used in all public transactions. The prevailing religion is Buddhism, except among the Karens, who have no religion except what is embodied in vague popular traditions. Churches and mission stations have been erected throughout the province by the American Baptist Missionary Society; and much has been done by these means to improve the moral character and condition of the people.

The early history of Tenasserim is involved in obscurity and confusion. The country seems to have been now in the hands of the Siamese, now in those of Pegu, and now in those of the Burmese, who finally gained a lasting hold over it about 1760, and retained it under their oppressive government till it was ceded to the English by the treaty of Yandaboo in 1826. It was then in a miserable state, with a scanty population, and yielding no revenue; but under the British government it has rapidly risen to a very prosperous condition. Pop. 191,476.