PALERMO, the metropolitan province of the island of Sicily, extends along the western part of the northern coast of Sicily, and is bounded E. by the province of Messina, W. by that of Trapani, and S. by the provinces of Girgenti and Calatanisetta. Its area is 1984 square miles, and the population in 1851 was 514,717. The province is divided into four districts, named from their chief towns, Palermo, Corleone, Termini, and Cefalft. It is the most populous of the seven administrative divisions of the island. The surface consists partly of naked hills and partly of fertile valleys, among which that called the Cones, or 'shell,' of Palermo, is one of the finest regions in the world. The general slope of the ground is to the north, from the mountain range, the Mount Nebrodss of the ancients, which crosses the island from cast to west, to the sea-coast. Numerous short watercourses run in that direction ; they are dry, or nearly so, in summer, but become impassable torrents in the rainy season. The principal are the river Termini, the Fiume Torto, and the Fiume Grande between Termini and Cefal6. The principal productions of the country are corn, oil, oranges and lemons, manna, sumach, liquorice, almonds, pistachio nuts, and silk. The principal towns are the following :— Pattaste. Terstitsi, on the site of the ancient Therretr, is a walled town of 15,000 inhabitants, with a harbour, a castle, and an old cathedral. The inhabitants are employed in the tunny, anchovy, and
sardine fishery, and in the coast trade. The ruins of the ancient Ilimera are about 9 miles distant, at the mouth of the Fiume Grande. [IIIstria) The hot mineral waters of Termini are much frequented, and supply the adjoining baths. C'efeht, a town of 3000 inhabitants, built oo the sea-coast at the foot of a high cliff, with a handsome collegiate church. awleone, an inland town, with 13,000 inhabitants, chiefly employed in agriculture. Monreale, 5 miles west of Palermo, with 13,000 inhabitant*, and a splendid Benedictine abbey, founded in 1174, the church of which has become the cathedral of the archiepis copal see of Palermo. It is rich in marble and paintings, and contains the tomb. of the Norman kings William I. and II. Carlini, near the site of the ancient llyecara, 9 miles west of Palermo, has 6000 inhabit ants. Plana del Greci, 15 miles south of Palermo, is an Epirote colony, with about 5000 inhabitants and a Greek church.
The email island of Claim, situated about 40 miles from the coast north by west of Palermo, contains about 2000 inhabitants. It hue a small port named Santa Maria, which is defended by batteries. The Wand produces good wine.