one of the West Indian Islands, belonging to Great Britain, in the Windward Group, N. Lat. 11° 23', W. Long. 60° 32'. 24 miles N.E. of Trinidad. It is 32 miles long by 12 broad, and has an area of 97 square miles. It has been called the "Melancholy Isle," because when viewed from the N. it presents a gloomy and wild aspect, with steep cliffs rising from the sea, and densely wooded mountains rising behind them. On a nearer approach the appearance is more attractive, and the hills lower, but almost the whole of the island is covered with conical hills and ridges, diverging on both sides from a chain about 1800 feet high, which traverses the centre of the island. Between these ridges, and along the shore, there lies a succession of broken plains and valleys, running up into deep and narrow ravines among the hills. Eight rivers, with numerous tributaries and smaller streams, flow down from the hills and water the island; and the coast is indented with many bays, some of which form safe and excellent harbours. The prevalent geological formation here is limestone, but basaltic columns occur in some places, as at the N.E. extremity, and in the vicinity of Scarborough, where schistose rock also exists. The soil in the lower ground consists of a rich mould, favourable to the growth of the sugar-cane; there are swamps and marshes of considerable extent, but the land has been much improved by drainage, which has been carried on for some time by means of bamboos. The climate is warm, especially in the less open parts, where it is not tempered by the sea breezes, which render the regions along the shore mild and healthy. On the whole, the island is not salubrious, and the rate of mortality is higher than in the other West Indian islands; but the clearance and drainage of the country is doing much to improve it. The productions are similar to those of the other islands of the group, including sugar, cotton, coffee, maize, and various fruits, such as cocoa-nuts, figs, pine-apples, pomegranates, oranges, lemons, &c. Only the low ground, and some tracts on the slopes of the hills, have as yet been cultivated. Horses, asses, oxen, and sheep are reared in large numbers; and wild hogs abound in the island. Sugar, rum, and molasses, with small quantities of cotton and arrowroot, are the chief articles exported; while cotton, linen, and woollen cloth, hardware, pottery, soap, candles, timber, &c., are imported. In 1852, the total value of the imports into Tobago was L53,519; and that of the exports, L56,831. The tonnage of the vessels that entered the various ports was 8172; of those that cleared, 9296. The island is included in the jurisdiction of the governor of the Windward Islands; and has a lieutenant-governor, a legislative council of nine, and a house of assembly of sixteen members. The public revenue in 1852 amounted to L7476. The Church of England has here five churches and chapels; the Methodists five; and the Moravians two. These denominations also support various schools, in all sixteen. Tobago was discovered by Columbus in 1496, and named by him from the pipes used by the natives in smoking tobacco. It was first colonized in 1632 by the Dutch, who were expelled by the Spaniards, but afterwards returned. It subsequently passed into the hands of the French; but was ceded to the English in 1763. In 1781 the French again captured it; but it was retaken in 1793, and has since remained a British colony. The capital is Scarborough, on the S.E. coast. Pop. 15,679.