MORBIHAN, a department of western France on the At lantic seaboard, formed of part of Lower Brittany, and bounded S.E. by the department of Loire-Inferieure, E. by that of Ille-et Vilaine, N. by Cotes-du-Nord, and W. by Finistere. Area, 2,738 sq. miles. Pop. (1931) 537,528. The department is formed of the denuded folds of the Armorican system, which have axes of granitic rocks running for the most part E.S.E. to W.N.W. The most northerly of these stretches into the department from the Montagnes Noires of S. Finistere, and in Morbihan reaches a height of 974 ft. The next ridge to the south runs across the centre of the department and dies down on its east and west borders ; it forms the barren Landes de Lanvaux, about 1 to 3 m. wide and 31 m. long. Parallel lines of granite and Archaean rock also form most of the coast. The Blavet river on the west runs across the structural lines and has some pretty valley sections where it cuts across the harder axes. The Oust is a tributary of the Vilaine, which it joins at the east end of the Landes. The great feature of the department is its coastline, with a number of picturesque estuaries, formed through invasion of river valleys by the sea, and the Morbihan, or "little sea," studded with islands, which are classic ground for the student of prehistoric archae ology. The Morbihan is separated from the sea outside, the Mor Braz, by the peninsula of Ruis, save for a tide-race at the end of the peninsula. To the west is the peninsula of Quiberon, which is joined to the mainland by a long sandspit. Off the coast lie the islands of Groix, Belle-Ile (q.v.), Houat and Hoedik.
The climate of Morbihan is moist and mild. Unproductive heath occupies more than a quarter of the department, about a third of which is arable land. The shores of the estuaries are rich in southern plants, figs, rose-laurels, aloes, etc. Rye, buckwheat, wheat and oats, potatoes and mangels are the chief crops ; hemp and flax are also grown. Horned cattle are the chief livestock and
bee-keeping is important. Seaweed is used for manure. Lorient (q.v.) is a shipbuilding centre, while the sardine, oyster (Auray, St. Armel, etc.), anchovy and lobster fisheries are important, as is fish-preserving. Hennebont makes sheet-tin for sardine-boxes. There are several slate-quarries, and a number of minor industries, including lace-making by hand.
The department is served by the Orleans railway and the canal from Nantes to Brest uses the Oust; the Blavet is also canalised. It is divided into three arrondissements, namely : Vannes, Lorient, and Pontivy—with 38 cantons and 26o communes. The capital Vannes is the seat of a bishopric of the province of Rennes. The department belongs to the region of the XIth army corps (Nantes) and to the academie (educational division) of Rennes, where also is its court of appeal. The principal places are Vannes, Lorient, Ploermel, Pontivy, Auray, Hennebont, Carnac and Loc mariaquer, the last two famous for megalithic monuments, as are Erdeven and Plouharnel; Elven, with two towers of the 15th cen tury, remains of an old stronghold; Josselin which has the fine château of the Rohan family and a church containing the tomb (15th century) of Olivier de Clisson and his wife; Guern with a chapel of the 15th and 16th centuries and Le Faouet with a chapel of the 15th century; Quiberon, associated with the disaster of the French émigrés in 1795; Sarzeau, near which is the fortress of Sucinio (13th and centuries) ; Ste. Barbe with a chapel, dating from about the end of the 15th century, finely situated, overlooking the Elle ; St. Gildas-de-Ruis, with a Romanesque church and other remains of a Benedictine abbey of which Abe lard was for a time abbot. The principal pardons (religious festi vals) are those of Ste. Anne-d'Auray and St. Nicolas-des-Eaux.