Hesse-Nassau

Hesse-Nassau, a province of Prussia, between Bavaria and Saxony on the east and the Rhine on the west, was formed (1867-68) out of parts of the former electorate of Hesse-Cassel, of the former Duchy of Nassau, of the lordship of Homburg forming part of the former countship of Hesse-Homburg, of the larger part of the former free town of Frankfort-on-the-Main, and small parts of Bavaria. It comprises 5943 sq. m. The surface consists mostly of uplands, contrasting with the Main plain and part of Wetterau in the south, and with the narrow valleys of the Werra and Fulda, and the fertile basin of the Schwalm in the north. The hills covering its surface include the Taunus and the Westerwald, rising to 2886 feet; the Hohe Rhön, rising in Grosse Wasserkuppe to 3096 feet; the Lahn Mountains, &c. The Thüringerwald traversing Schmalkalden culminates in the Inselberg (3001). Among the minerals are iron, copper, lead, manganese, and building-stone. It is rich in mineral waters, such as at Wiesbaden, Ems, Kronthal, Homburg, &c. The manufactures include gold and silver wares at Cassel, leather at Eschwege, damasks and other stuffs at Fulda, iron-foundries at Hanau, &c. The population in 1875 was 1,467,898; in 1890, 1,664,426; 1,156,457 being Protestants, 455,332 Catholics, and 44,543 Jews. Of its 108 towns only seven (Frankfort, Cassel, Wiesbaden, Hanau, Bockenheim, Marburg, and Fulda) have more than 10,000 inhabitants each. Hesse-Nassau has a university at Marburg, twelve gymnasiums, thirty-eight 'Real-', commercial, and higher schools, seven teachers' seminaries, three deaf and dumb and two blind institutes. The principal occupations are agriculture, cattle-rearing, the usual industries, and mining.