INDIA, THE NATIVE STATES OF, are divided into those which are entirely indepen dent and those which are more or less under the control of the Indian government. To the former class belong Nepaul (q.v.) and Bhotan (q.v.). To the latter class belong a large number of states, an estimate of the area and population of which is given in the following table: The native princes who profess the Hindu religion are called rajahs and maharajahs; those who are Mohammedan are called nawabs, khans, etc. The following are a few of the most. important more or less dependent native states: In the n.w. is Cashmere (with Ladakh), under a native rajah (pop. 3,000,000), a mountainous region of the western Himalaya; the hill states, under a large number of native chiefs (pop. 750,000); Gu rli wal, under a rajah (pop. 200,000); Bawalpfir, under a khan, s. of Multan (pop. 1,000,000). The Sikh states, the largest of which is Puttiala (pop. 1,250,000), lie between the Janina and the Sutlej. The Hajpoot states (pop. 8,500,000) number 18, each under a rajah_ The states of 11-Ialwa are 21 in number: among the most important are Bhopal (pop. 815,000) and the Bundelcund states (pop. 1,142,000). Gwalior, or Scindia's dominions, includes a number of scattered districts (pop. 3,250,000), situated in the valleys of the Tapti, Nerbudda, and Chumbul. The present maharajah attained his majority in 1853, and was then intrusted with the administration. He has governed the country well. and, as stated above, in 1857 remained faithful to England. Indore, or the ilolkar's dominions, lies between the Vindhya and Satpura mountains (pop. 815,000). Gug,erat
has a pop. of 4,250,000, and Cutch, 500,000: both countries are split up into a'number of states. In the Deccan, Hyderabad has an area of 80,000 sq.m; the pop. is about. 11,000,000. The country is ruled by the nizam or " regulator ;" but sir Salar Jung, many years minister of the late nizam, has, during the minority of the present prince, acted as regent, and discharged the difficult duties intrusted to him with very great ability. Cochin has a population of 500,000, and Travancore of 1,000,000 Mysore (pop. 5,055,412) is a native state, but has long enjoyed the advantages of British rule: it is to be restored to native administration on the maharajah, who in 1874 was 11 years of age, reaching majority. He is under the -care of an English tutor, the country being administered by an English commissioner. To these states are to be added those situ ated in the north-eastern provinces—viz., Sikkim, on the slope of the Himalayas, between Nepaul and Bhotan (pop. 62,000), governed by a rajah; Manipur, between Assam and Burmah (pop. '75,000), under a rajah; and Independent or Hill Zipperah, a country covered with dense jungles, and inhabited by the Bookies, a savage race, whose chiefs pay tribute to a maharajah. No census of the native states having been taken, the estimates of population must be considered as mere approximations to the truth, on which no great reliance is to be placed.
Further information respecting many of the native states of India will be found under their respective names. •