The Feroe Islands, a cluster of small lofty isles situated nearly half way from the Shetland islands to Iceland, also belong to Denmark; they contain about 5,000 inhabitants.

The dominions of the King of Denmark profess the Lutheran system of the Protestant religion; and the government, ever since the revolution of 1660, has been considered as an absolute monarchy.

III.

SWEDEN.

SWEDEN is situated between 55° 20', and 70° of north latitude, and between 12° and 29° of longitude east from Greenwich, being about 1,150 English miles in length, and about 550 in its greatest breadth, including the gulf of Bothnia. The population has been computed to amount to about three millions.

Great varieties of climate are found in Sweden, according as districts are situated more or less towards the pole; but even in the southern provinces, the winters are severe and tedious. It was already observed that the strait dividing Denmark from Sweden is usually closed by the ice in winter; and the gulf of Bothnia, forming a vast bason in the heart of the kingdom, is frozen over even at the entrance, so that travellers cross from Sweden to Finland by the isles of Aland on the ice. In the northern regions, where the sun is visible at midnight for some weeks in summer, the heats are often considerable.

Sweden Proper is greatly diversified by mountains, rocks, lakes, rivers, and forests: and Finland abounds in marshes, lakes, and woods, of vast extent. The soil of Sweden, not naturally

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naturally of the best quality, is cultivated with such care and skill, as to make very liberal returns for the pains bestowed on it.

The loftiest mountains are found in the long chain separating Sweden from Norway; and in those tracts, particularly in Dalecarlia, are found the vast forests of pine and fir, whence supplies are drawn to many parts of Europe.

Sweden presents many rivers, of which the most considerable is the Dahl, which, rising on the Norwegian frontiers, runs south and east for above 250 miles, and precipitating itself over a ledge of rocks above 30 feet high, soon after falls into the gulf of Bothnia. The Tornea, rising in the Lapland mountains, runs southerly, and discharges itself into the bottom of the gulf of Bothnia, below the town of Tornea.

The lakes are both numerous and of a great size: the Wener is about 100 English miles long by 50 broad: the Weter is about as long, but not half the breadth: the Meler is 60 miles long by 18 broad, communicating with the Baltic by a channel full of islands and rocks, on which is built Stockholm, the capital of the kingdom. Finland presents many lakes, of which Pejend is said to be 80 miles in length by 15 in breadth. Other vast expanses of water form the boundary between Finland and Russia.

Sweden is rich in mineral productions: gold has long been extracted, as also some silver: but the treasures of the country consist in its mines of copper and lead, and above all in those of iron, which, in certain districts is found in vast abundance, and of the first quality. Swedish steel has long been celebrated, which, with iron in its rough state, timber, tar, hemp, copper, and herrings, forms the exportation of the kingdom, in return for which other necessary articles, particularly grain, are imported.

The capital of the Swedish dominions is Stockholm, already noticed, containing 80,000 inhabitants, with an ex

cellent

cellent harbour, but of difficult access. Upsal was once more considerable, but now contains only about 3,000 inhabitants, without the students of the university, where the father of modern botanical science, Linnæus, divulged to the world the knowledge he had acquired, in the various regions of the history of nature. Gottenburg contains 30,000 people, a handsome sea-port, noted for its commerce, and the share it possesses in the herring fishery. Carlscrona, at the southern extremity of Sweden, is a modern town, of 11,000 inhabitants, where very extensive works have for some time been carrying on, to form a complete station for the Swedish navy.

To the crown of Sweden belong several islands lying in the Baltic: the isles of Aland, situated in the entrance of the gulf of Bothnia, are a cluster of which the largest is in extent about 40 miles by 15, containing 9,000 inhabitants. Gothland is in length 70 miles, and in its greatest breadth 24, fertile in corn and sheep pasture. Eland, a long narrow island, in extent 70 miles by 6, contains about 8,000 people, and produces timber and corn. The fertile isle of Bornholm, although situated near to the south coast of Sweden, has for many years been a part of the Danish dominions.

On the south shore of the Baltic, Sweden possesses a share of the province of Pomerania, together with Rugen, an island lying out before it. These districts are fertile in corn and cattle, maintaining a population of above 100,000 inhabitants: the capital of Swedish Pomerania is Stralsund, a considerable sea-port and fortified town: Bergen is the chief town of Rugen.

Lutheranism is the established religious profession of the Swedish dominions; and the constitution since the year 1789, is in fact an absolute monarchy; for although the diets or assemblies of the states are not abrogated, the administration of justice, and even the imposition of taxes, are in a manner solely in the hands of the king,

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IV.

IV.

RUSSIA.

THE vast Russian empire occupies the whole northen parts. of Europe and Asia, from the frontiers of the Swedish dominions in Finland, to the strait which separates Asia from. America, that is, from long. 30° to long. 190° E. from Greenwich; a distance upon the arctic circle, where this measure must be taken, equal to 4452 English miles* ; but further to the southward, in lat. 55°, the Russian territory begins at long. 22° E. from Greenwich.

The greatest extent of the European part of this immense empire, on the parallel of 55°, is about 1400 English miles, and that from the Black Sea to the Arctic ocean, on a meridian, is about 1700 miles. By the latest estimation, the population of Russia in Europe amounts to 33,000,000.

Russia, in Europe, occupying a position, between the parallels of 45° and 70° of N. latitude, must possess a great variety of temperature, climate, and soil. The country is, in a general sense, one vast plain, varied by successions of gradual swellings, but without any mountainous tracts of noticeable elevation, the highest land in the heart of the empire, where the great rivers have their origin, not being more than 1,200 feet above the sea. The mountains of Olonetz, however, forming the boundary with Sweden, and the Uralian mountains, which divide Europe from Asia, attain considerable heights.

At the arctic circle a degree of longitude is equal to about 27,83 English miles, consequently 160° of longitude on that parallel are only equal to 4552 miles. By some unaccountable oversight, the length of the Russian Empire is, in a recent ample work on geography, said to be 9,200 English miles; an extent which, at the arctic circle, would be equal to 330° of longitude, nearly encompassing the whole globe of the earth.

From

From its extent Russia presents many rivers of importance: the Volga, the largest stream in Europe, rising between Petersburg and Moscow, flows for above 1,700 miles, being in the latter half of its course the boundary of Europe, and entering Asia, discharges itself into the Caspian sea below Astracan. The Don, after a winding course of 800 miles, is lost in that gulf of the Black sea called the Sea of Azof. The Nieper runs for about 1000 miles to the Black Sea, which also receivs the Neister after a course of 600 miles. Considerable streams rising in Russia pursue their course in a different direction, as, for instance, the Petshora, which by a course of 450 miles falls into the Arctic or Frozen Ocean; the Dwina discharging itself, after a course of 500 miles, into the White Sea, a few miles below the port of Archangel; the Duna, which having its sources at no great distance from those of the Volga and the Nieper, flows north-westerly for 500 miles, and is lost in the Baltic below the noted trading town of Riga.

In the northen parts of Russia are many considerable lakes: Ladoga is the largest in Europe, being 130 miles in length. and 70 in breadth: Onega is in length 150 miles, but its breadth is only about 30 miles. Near the shores of the Baltic is the lake of Peypus, in extent 60 miles by 30.

Russia, in Europe, possesses some inconsiderable mines of gold in the Olonetz range: but it produces plentifully iron and copper; and in various places mineral waters, chiefly chalybeate, have been found.

The population of Russia is composed of various races: the Laplanders on the north-west; the Samoiedes on the northeast corner of the country; the Fins in the neighbourhood of Petersburg, the great body of the inhabitants, or Russians, properly so called; the Tartars, or Tatars, of the southern provinces, although united under one sovereign, still retain many distinctive and characteristic marks of their origin, in stature, complexion, language, customs, and religion. From

the