CORREZE, a department of south-central France, formed from the southern portion of the old province of Limousin, bounded north by the departments of Haute-Vienne and Creuse, east by Puy-de-Dome, south-east by Cantal, south by Lot, and west by Dordogne. Area, 2,273 square miles. Pop. (1931) 264, 129. It is situated on the western fringe of the Plateau Central and consists largely of high tracts of crystalline schists and granitic intrusions. The highest points, many over 3,00o ft., are found in the north, where the Plateau de Millevaches, separating the basins of the Loire and the Garonne, provides good sheep pasture. Except for a small district in the extreme north drained by the Vienne, Correze has rivers flowing south-westwards to the basin of the Garonne. The Dordogne drains the south-eastern portion and the Correze joins the Vezere to the west of Brive. These river valleys and the lower land of the south-west are given over to agriculture. Rye, buckwheat and wheat are the chief cereals and hemp, flax and tobacco are also grown. Pigs and goats are reared on the valley slopes and poultry-farming' and cheese-making are much practised. The vineyards around Brive produce wine of medium quality. Chestnuts, largely used as an article of food, walnuts and cider-apples are the chief fruits.
Coal in small quantities, slate, building-stone and pottery clay are worked. The government manufactory of fire-arms is at Tulle. There are flour-mills, oil-works, saw-mills and dye-works ; and hats (Bort), coarse woollens, silk, preserved foods, wooden shoes, chairs, paper and leather are manufactured. Coal and raw ma terials for textile industries are leading imports; live stock and agricultural products are the chief exports.
The department is served by the Orleans railway, and the Dordogne is navigable. It is divided into the arrondissements of Tulle and Brive, containing 29 cantons and 289 communes. It belongs to the archdiocese of Bourges, the region of the XII. army corps, and the Academie (educational division) of Cler mont-Ferrand. Its court of appeal is at Limoges. Tulle, the capital, and Brive are the principal towns. Uzerche, on the Vezere, has a Romanesque church and remains of mediaeval fortifications. There are Romanesque churches at Aubazine (or Obazine), Beaulieu, Meymac and Vigeois. Treignac, with its church, bridge and ramparts of the 15th century, and Turenne, dominated by the ruins of its castle, are interesting towns. The dolmen at Espartignac and the cromlech of Aubazine are the chief megalithic remains in the department. A Roman eagle and other antiquities were found close to Ussel, which became the centre of the duchy of Ventadour at the end of the i6th century.