HALMSTAD, a seaport of Sweden, chief town of the district (lan) of Halland, on the east shore of the Cattegat, 76 m. S.S.E. of Gothenburg by the railway to Helsingborg. Pop. (1925) 23,171. Mention of the church of Halmstad occurs as early as 1462, and the fortifications are mentioned first in 1225. The latter were demolished in 1734. There were formerly Dominican and Franciscan monasteries in the town. The oldest town-privi leges date from 1307 and it appears to have been frequently chosen as the meeting-place of the rulers and delegates of the three northern kingdoms. Under the union of Kalmar it was appointed to be the place for the election of a new Scandinavian monarch whenever necessary. Until 166o, when it was ceded to Sweden, the lan of Halland formed part of the territory of Denmark in Sweden. The town lies at the mouth of the river Nissa, having a harbour (2o ft. depth) and roads giving safe anchorage. In the neighbourhood there are quarries of granite, which is exported chiefly to Germany. Other industries are engineering, shipbuilding and brewing, and there are cloth, jute, hat, wood-pulp and paper factories. The principal exports are granite, timber and matches; and butter through Helsingborg and Gothenburg. The imports are coal, machinery, manures, jute and cloth. Potatoes are largely grown in the district, and the salmon fisheries are valuable. The castle is the residence of the governor of the province. There are both mineral and sea-water baths in the neighbourhood.