Political Dirizioas, Proristea, and Towns.—The provinces of Persia are twelve in number. Seven lie along the western boundary-line : Aserbljen, Knrdistan, Laristan, and Ithuzietan, along the border of the Turkish empire ; end Farsistan, lAristsn, and Kerman, along the shores of the Persian Golf. The interior of Persia le occupied by the two large provinces of Imk-Ajemi and Khorman ; and along the shorts of the Caspian Sea extend the provinces of Ghilan, 31azanderen, and Astrabad.
1. Aserbijan, the ancient Atropat6n6, is separated from Armenia by the Arexes on the north, by the Kizil-Usen from the Imk-Ajemi ; on the south and west it borders on Kurdistan and Turkey. The large salt lake of Urumiyeh is in this province. The differences of tempera ture are considerable ; but the climate is healthy.
The most flourishing part of Azerbijan is that along the northern and western border of the Lake of Urimlysh, from Tabriz to the con fines of Armenia. Seta& is now a town of about 2000 inhabitants, most of whom are Nestorian Christian. DILMAN. Khoi is described as one of the finest and best-built towns of Persia ; its walls are in good repair, the streets are regular, with avenues of trees, and the ceilings of many of the houses are tastefully painted. The town of L'eswtyeA is situated on the sonthesveet side of the lake to which it. gives its name : its population 1/112,000. Alarapho, a town of about 15,000 inhabitants, is situated in a low valley; it is celebrated In Oriental geography for the observatory of the celebrated astronomer Naair-Eddin, the ruins of which still exist.
The principal town of Azerbijan in Tabriz, situated in 40' 8' N. Lest, 38' 4' E. long. The number of its inhabitants, which was at one time much greater, is at prompt about 30,000. Its situation, near the confines of the Persian and Turkish dominion., sufficiently accounts for its present desolated condition, as the town has been subject to frequent eosignests and devastations. It has, moreover, repeatedly and most severely sufficed from earthquakes. Tabriz, Khoi, and several other towns In Aserbljan were greatly injured by earthquakes in September 1854. Mimeo is situated in a long and winding valley on the western side of the Kafilan-Koh. It was nearly. rained by the Russians in their last invasion of Persia, and is now a poor village. The ruins called Kalah-Zohak, are situated on a precipitous rock near the river Karaogoo. Ardebil is situated at the eastern descent of the
SereIlan Mountains. Towards the north of the town therers °stet-tile plain with excellent pastures.
2. Kurdistan comprehends the mountain region of the Kurdistan range, about the sources of the rivers Klzil-Uzen, Diyalah, and Ker khah ; it is separated from the Pashalic of Baghdad by the eastern range of the Kurdistan mountains, called the Atari Mountains, and farther south chiefly by the course of the river Shirwan, a branch of the Diyalah. It is mainly separated from Luristau by the river Ker klub. It is divided into two parts, Ardelan in the north-east, and Kermanshah in the south-west. The first part, comprehending the country surrounding the upper branches of the Sefid-Rud, which is about one-third of the province, con.iste of a succession of well-wooded mountains and narrow valleys, and has excellent pasture-grounds. It contains &Allah, the residenco of a Kurdish chief, who lives in a palace built on a bill in the middle of the town population, from 4000 to 5000 families, among which 200 are Jews, and a small number of Chnldscan Catholics. Kermanshah also is principally moun tainous, but there are fine wide open valleys along the rivers Shirwan and Kerkhah, and pretty extensive plains near the outer edges of the mountain region ; both the valleys and plains are generally well culti vated. Kermanshah, the capital, a flourishing town, is situated in the southern extremity of a fine plain, through the centre of which runs the Kam-Su, an affluent of the Kerkhah. It contains about 12,000 houses, and has many public buildings. It carries on a considerable commerce, being on the great caravan-road which passes across the mountains from Baghdad to Hamadan, Ispahan, and Teheran. This road seems always to have been a great thoroughfare, and ruins of great antiquity occur along it. About six miles from Kermanshah, ou the face of the mountains which inclose the plain on the north, are excavations and sculptures of great extent, called Takt i-Bostan. Where this range of mountains terminates on the east, on the banks of the river Kerkhah, are the sculptures of Besittoon. About 30 miles farther east, also near the road, there are extensive ruins, among which those of a temple of Artemis are the best preserved. They occur near a village called Kengawar, which is about 30 miles W.S.W. from Hamadan. [Eenarssa.] South of Hamadan is Mount Elwend.