WIIRTTEMBERG or WURTEM BERG (viir-tem-berg), a state of the former German empire, between Bavaria, Baden, Hohenzollern, and the Lake of Constance which separates it from Switz erland; area, 7,533 square miles; pop. about 2,600,000. Except a few tracts in the S. the surface is hilly and even moun tainous. In the W., the Schwarzwald, or Black Forest, forms part of the bound ary, and the Alb or Rauhe Alp, forming part of the Franconian Jura, covers an extensive tract. The country belongs in large part to the basin of the Rhine, being drained N. into that river by the Neckar, while the Danube flows across the S. districts. A part of the Lake of Constance is also included in Wiirttem berg. The climate is decidedly temper ate. In the lower and more favorable districts the fig and melon ripen in the open air, and the dine, cultivated on an extensive scale, produces several first class wines; maize, wheat, hops, tobacco, and fruit, which is employed in eider making, are largely cultivated. About a third of the country is under forests, which consist chiefly of oaks, beeches, and pine. Of minerals, by far the most valuable are iron and salt, both of which are worked by the government; the others are limestone, gypsum, alabaster, slate, millstones, and potter's clay. The manufactures consist chiefly of cotton, woolen, and linen goods, paper, wooden clocks, toys, musical instruments, and chemical products. The government be fore the World War was a hereditary constitutional monarchy, the executive power being lodged in the sovereign, and the legislative jointly in the sovereign and a Parliament, composed of an upper and a lower chamber. In November,
1918, the State was proclaimed a repub lic. Its new constitution dates from September, 1919, and vests the supreme power in the Landtag of 101 elected members. The total revenue for the year ending March 31, 1920, was estimated at about $43,000,000, the expenditures at about $50,000,000, and, in 1918, the prin cipal of the public debt was estimated to amount to about $170,000,000. In the Bundesrath Wiirttemberg was, before the war, represented by four members, and in the Reichstag by 17. There is no exclusively established religion. Educa tion is generally diffused; the center of the educational system is the University of Tiibingen, which in the winter half year 1914-1915 had 128 professors and teachers, and 2,056 students in theology, jurisprudence, medicine, and philosophy. Besides Stuttgart (the capital), the chief towns are Ulm, Heilbronn, and Ess lingen.
The history of the state is of little general interest. Previous to the Na poleonic era the rulers had the title of duke, but in 1806, by the favor of Na poleon, the then duke gained a great accession of territory, as well as the title of king. In the subsequent arrangement of the European states by the Congress of Vienna the territorial accessions were confirmed and the kingly title formally recognized. In the war of 1866 Wiirt temberg sided with Austria against Prussia. It became a member of the German empire on its foundation in 1871. See GERMANY.