SAXE-MEIHINGEN (also called SAXE-MEININGEN-HILDBURGHAUSEN), the second in size and population of the minor Saxon states, is a duchy, consisting of one large cres cent-shaped territory, which lies immediately u. of Bavaria and Coburg, with the horns of the crescent pointing northward and contains 862 English sq.m., and two small isolated territories. Kranichfeld and Kumburg. The area of the whole is 955 sq.m., with a pop. in '71, of 187,884; '75, 194.494. In 1866, when other administrative changes and reforms were introduced, the territoley, which till then had been divided into 11 admin. istrativd districts, was distributed into 4. Of the total population, 181,964 were, in 1871, Protestants; 1534 were Roman Catholics; 1625 were Jews; and 165 Christian sectaries of various kinds. The crescent is composed of the old duchy of Meiningen, the old of Hildburghausen, and the principality of Saalfeld (both of which, along with Kamburg, were annexed to Meiningen in 1826). Saxe-Meiningen forms the s w. of Thuringia (q.v.), and is traversed in the e. and n. by the Thuringer-wald, offshoots from which also cover the w., while the RhSn-gebirge enters the country at the s.w. Its sur face is thus necessarily hilly, in some places even mountainous, Rieferle in the 'Morin ger-wald being 2,700 ft., and G.elia-berg in the Rhon-gebirge, 2,308 ft. above sea level; but between the mountain ridges are numerous fruitful valleys, and that of the Werra in particular is one of the most fertile and picturesque in Germany. The Werra, Saale, 31ilz, Steinach, Itz, etc., water the country. Two fifths of the country is arable land; a nearly equal extent is under wood; and the rest is meadow, garden and vineyard, and waste. In the lower lands agriculture is in an advanced condition, and is prosecuted with such vigor that corn enough is produced for home consumption; potatoes, hemp, flax, and tobacco are the other chief crops.
The mining industiy of the e. and n. is considerable, employing recently about 550 men; and the important mineral products are iron, copper, cobalt, coal, porcelain-clay, sulphur, and salt from the works of Salzungen, Neusulza, and Friedrichs-hall. Saxe Meiningen is also an active manufacturing district, chiefly in woolen, cotton, and linen fabrics, and paper; and brewing, distilling, the making of glass and porcelain, and various other branches of industry, are prosecuted. The fabrication of wooden toys in the district around Sonneburg employs 2,092 men, and the produce is bought up by the Sonneburg dealers for export. A grape-sugar factory is mainta-ined. Saxe-Meiningen is a limited monarchy in accordance with the fundamental law of 1829, and the laws of 1871 and 1873. The diet consists of 24 representatives-4 representing the more exten sive land-owners, 4 the persons who pay most taxes, and 16 being the deputies of the rest of the inhabitants. As a member of the empire, Saxe-Meiningen has one vote in the federal &nitwit, and sends 2 deputies to the diet of the empire. The troops of Saxe Meiningen form part of the imperial army. The government is carried on by four ministers, each of whom heads a separate department. The budget for 1875-77 gives as receipts £211,182 (of which £92,764 come from the domains); as expenditure, £189,682. On Jan. 1, 1876 the public debt amounted to £1,100,000. The late duke, Bernard Erich-Freund, who reigned for 63 years, spontaneously gave his subjects a liberal repre sentative constitution in 1824. Saxe-Meiningen had for some time the distinction of being the best-governed state in Germany. See GERMANY.