KHIVA, ke'va, or CHIVA, a vassal state of Russia, in central Asia. It lies between 43°40' and 40° N. lat., and 57° and 62° 20' E. long. It is bounded on the north by the Sea of Aral, on the east by the river Oxus, and south and west by the Russian Transcaspian province. It formerly occupied a large extent of surface on both sides of the Amu-Daria or Oxus, but since the cession to Russia, in 1873, of its terri tory on the east of the Amu, is now confined to the west side of this river. Its area is 24,000 square miles. A great part of the surface con sists of deserts, thinly inhabited or uninhabit able, but along the Amu the land is of a very different character, consisting of rich alluvial loam of the greatest natural fertility. Owing to the great dryness of the atmosphere, how ever, it soon becomes so stiff and hard that it cannot be penetrated by any ordinary imple ment. For this the obvious remedy is irriga tion; and accordingly, from the earliest period, a mode of culture resembling that of Egypt has been practised. Large canals from the river, with numerous minor branches, intersect every part of the surface, supplying moisture where it is wanted or removing it where it is in excess, and securing the most luxuriant crops of wheat, maize, rice, barley and legumes. Cotton, silk and madder are also generally cultivated. The vine thrives well, but requires to be defended against the winter cold by a covering of straw and earth; all the ordinary fruits, including apples, plums, cherries, apricots, figs and pome granates, are common. Trade is carried on chiefly with Russia. The principal exports are raw and spun cotton, in return for which are received various articles of European manufac ture, as metals and ironware, woolen, cotton and silk goods, etc. The government of Khiva
is an unmitigated despotism. The greater part of the inhabitants are Tajiks and Uzbeks, in nearly equal numbers. After these are Per sians, Karakalpaks, Jamshids and Turcomans. They are Mohammedan in faith. The designs of Russia on Khiva long caused disquietude in Britain, which has always been jealous of Rus sian advances in Asia, mainly from a dread of interference with her Indian Empire. Accord ingly Count Schouvaloff was dispatched to Eng land in January 1873, to give explanation re specting an intended expedition to Khiva. Its object was represented as simply the suppres sion of brigandage, the recovery of a few Rus sian prisoners, and to teach the Khan to desist from acts of violence in the future. The em peror, it was said, had given positive instruction that Khiva should not be taken possession of. In spite of these protestations, however, Khiva was taken possession of on 10 June; and later in the year, though the nominal independence of the Khan was stipulated for,.it was decided to annex to the Russian dominions the Khivan territory on the right bank of the Amu. The Khan also renounced all right of making wars or treaties without Russian sanction. The pop ulation is estimated at 646,000. Consult Abbott, 'Narrative of a Journey from Herat to Khiva' ; Burnaby, 'A Ride to Khiva' (1887) ; Col quhoun, 'Russia against India' (1900).