Alava,

Alava, the southern and largest, but most sparsely populated, of the three Basque provinces of Spain. The country forms a series of terraces of the Cantabrian Range, trending south to the river Ebro. The mountains are scattered through the whole province, and yield various minerals, stone, and timber in abundance. The climate is mild and salubrious. Area, 1205 sq. m. The inhabitants, who are chiefly Basques (q.v.), and in 1894 numbered 97,912, are engaged in agriculture. The soil is generally fertile, and along the Ebro fruits and wine are produced, while the other valleys yield good crops of maize and hemp. Cattle and sheep are grazed on the uplands; and a considerable quantity of iron, copper, and lead is exported in the raw state. The capital is Vittoria.