MESSI'NA, a province in n.e. Sicily separated from the province of Calabria, in Italy, by the straits of Messina, and supposed to have been cut off from the main-land by an earthquake before the historic period; 1768 sq.m.; pop. 420,649. It includes the Lipari islands, lying n.w. of it, in the Tyrrhene sea; its coast is washed by the Ionian sea, and its s.w. boundary is the base of Mt. Etua. It contains the Neptunian range of mountains, part of the Peloric chain, which traverses the n. of Sicily. Its surface is diversified by fertile valleys, which' are irrigated by heavy torrents that descend on 'either side of the mountains in the rainy season, but are dried by the heat of summer. Its productions are wheat, flax, argol, corn, fruits, hemp, nuts, oil and the red Faro wine; among the exports is the cordial called vino-co/to from Milazzo. Sulphur is found in large quantities; also granite, quartz, and mica. Its coast presents a varied outline, the town of Messina on the right of cape Faro, or Pelorus, at its extreme n.e. point, occupies the section of the coast line called frorn its form the " sickle," having a conven ient harbor with spacious wharves defended by a fort. The whole country has been racked by wars and shaken by earthquakes, and the cities have a modern appearance, having been, in most cases, rebuilt. It is drained by the Monforte, San Antonio, and other
small streams. It is divided into 4 distrelli and 116 communes. On a projection called cape Milazzo in the n. portion the sea-port town of Milazzo is built, whose inhabitants are sailors and fishermen, and the vine and olive are cultivated. Taormina, built on a steep towering cliff, overlooks the sea on the e., and contains many interesting ruins. On the n. coast are profitable manufactures of earthen-ware, and a Norman castle; and so substantially have the military' works been laid on the natural defenses that it has been considered the Gibraltar of Sicily, and has been the scene of many ancient and modern wars. The province contains many churches and convents, and.relics of antiq uity of great interest, cenotaphs, tesselated pavements, etc, Its principal city of Messina, the terminus of a railway along the coast to Syracuse, is nearly. opposite Reggio ,(ancient Rhegium), which is 9 s.e. across the straits of Messina, the most noted city ,of s. Italy,