or WITEPSK, a government of European Russia, bounded on the N. by those of Livonia and Pskov, E. by that of Smolensk, S. by those of Moghilev and Minsk, and W. by those of Vilna and Courland. Length, from N.W. to S.E., 220 miles; breadth, 100; area, 17,212 square miles. It consists of an immense low plain, diversified only by a few heights along the banks of the rivers. All of these flow into the Baltic, and most of them through the Duna, which traverses the government in a semicircular course, entering it from the N.E., and leaving it in the N.W. It receives in this government the Mesha, Casplia, Ula, Polota, Drissa, Goroshanka, Viteba, and other affluents. The Lovat, flowing to the north, is the principal river in the government not connected with the Duna. There are also several lakes of small size, such as Dorowitza, Nevel, Sebes, and others. Both the rivers and the lakes abound in fish. The most valuable mineral is iron; but freestone, limestone, and marl are also obtained here. There are mineral springs in some places. The soil is on the whole poor, consisting in general of a clayey sand, and a large part of the surface is occupied by morasses. The climate is temperate and moist. Agriculture is the principal occupation of the people, and the grain raised is more than sufficient to supply the home consumption. Rye is the principal crop; but wheat, barley, oats, pease, beans, hops, hemp, and flax are also raised, and gardening is much attended to. The extent of arable land in 1849 was 4,663,355 acres; of meadow land, 405,788 acres; and of wood, 4,668,967 acres. On the pastures, horses of good breed, and large numbers of cattle and sheep, are reared; and the government contained, in the above mentioned year, 192,473 horses, 285,274 horned cattle, 133,304 sheep, 1,065,599 swine, and 25,627 goats. The extensive forests consist of pines and other trees; and are infested by bears, wolves, foxes, stags, and other wild animals. Manufactures have as yet made little progress in Vitebsk, but the trade is very extensive. A great part of the productions of the country are conveyed by the Duna to Riga and Pernau, or on sledges to St Petersburg; while the canals that connect the Duna with the Lovat and the Berezina tend greatly to facilitate trade. The principal articles exported are corn, flour, hemp, flax, fish, honey, wax, timber, horses, oxen, wool, hides, and tallow. The government is divided into twelve circles. Pop. (1856) 748,524.