BAGDAD, the name of a t. and pashalic in the s.e. of Asiatic Turkey. The pashalie extends from lat. 30° to 38° n.. and from long. 40° to 48° e.; and is bounded on the n. by the pashalics of Diarbekir and Van; on the w. and s.. by Syria and Arabia; and on the e. by Persia; while at its s.e. extremity lies the Persian gulf. Extreme length, 550 In.; breadth, 350. Pop. 2,000,000. It is watered by the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, which unite their streams at the town of Korna, in hit. 31°n., and long. 47° east. The pashalic of B. is usually divided into three parts. 1. That e. of the Tigris, comprehending the districts of Klcuzi.vtan (anciently, Susiana) and Kurdistan (part of ancient Assyria), the former of which is rich iu grain and fruit. 2. That w. of the Euphrates, a sterile waste, losing itself at last in the great Syro-Arabian desert. 3. That between the two rivers, the northern portion of winch is known under the Immo of Algeeiral or " the island" (anciently, dlresopoltzmia), and the southern under that of (anciently Ilabylonia and Chaldea). The last of these divisions, though now a barren wilderness, was in ancient times luxuriantly fertile, the seat of mighty empires, and inhabited by industri ous populations. The barbarous misgovernment and wretched incapacity of the Turks
have reduced it to its present condition. The pashalic produces, in the better-cultivated districts, crops of rice, wheat, maize, barley, with some hemp, flax, tobacco, etc., while dates are brought to great perfection. The chief wild animals are lions—not numerous —hyenas. jackals, wolves, gazelles, ostriches; the chief domestic ones are horses, asses, mules, buffaloes, camels, and dromedaries. The inhabitants are composed of Turko mans, Armenians, Turks, Jews, Arabs, and Kurds; the last two of which races are notorious for their open and audacious depredations, their mutual wars, and their utter contempt for the authority attempted to be exercised over them. Principal eh:es—Bag dad, Bassora, and For a description of the cities which in ancient times adorned this region, see ASSYRIA, BABYLON, NINEVEH, CTESIPIION, SELErcia, etc. •