RIASAN, or RJASAN (sometimes written Risan), is an extensive government of European Russia, which derives its name from the very ancient town of Riasan, which indeed has long since fallen into ruins, but the name has been transferred to the town of Pereelawl. It is situated between 53° and 55° 40' N. lat., 3S' 18' and 41° 30' E. long., and is bounded N. by Vladimir, E.S.E. by Tainhow, S.W. by Tula, and N.W. by Moskwa. Tho area is about 16,200 square miles. Tho population iu 1846 was 1,365,900. It is divided into 12 circles. The country is traversed by many small hills and eminences, and the banks of tho rivers are high. The surface is diversified with little forests and groups of trees. It is only on the banks of the Don, the Osctr, and the Prone that the elevations are rocky; the other eminences consist of beds of stone, clay, marl, and lime, and are by no means unfruitfuL The eoil in general is a pretty thick layer of fine black mould. Tho principal rivers are the Oka, which flows from the govern ment of Moscow, and the Don, which issues from Lake lecanowskoe, ou the frontier, both of which rivers receive smaller streams. In this government, which joins the Bakowa, a tributary of the Prone, is tho greater part of the canal which, by uniting the Bakowa with tho Lernoi, effects a communication between the Volga and the Don by the Oka and the Woroneeb. The intermediate rivere are however only navigable by boats in spring when the water is high. In autumn, winter, and spring the weather is variable, and in summer hot. The climate is healthy.
The soil is on the whole very fertile, especially in the southern part. Rye, wheat, oats, barley, millet, flax, and hemp aro cultivated. Corn is raised in sufficient quantities to allow exportation. Horticulture ie general ; every peasant has his kitchen-garden, where all kinds of Runtime culinary vegetables aro grown. Most of tho peasants grow hops, which are an article of exportation. Apples and cherries are the fruits chiefly cultivated. The farmers let their pasture-land, which is of considerable extent, to the cattle-dealers of the Ukraine. Few swine are kept, and no domestics poultry except the common barn-door fowL Bees are very generally kept. Fish abound in the rivers, and great quantities are exported. The minerals are iron-stone, clay, marl,
lime, a little freestone, gypsum, vitriol, and sulphur.
The manufactures are few, and chiefly in the towns. The country people spin thread and worsted yarn, and manufacture coarse linen and woollen cloths, leather, wooden agricultural and domestio imple ments and utensils, end bast shoes. There are numerous spirit distil leries. Almost all the exports go to Moscow, from which are received in return such commodities as are required, except salt, which is obtained from the banks of the Volga.
The inhabitants are all Russians, except a email number of Mord wins, who live in a few villages ; and between 4000 and 5000 Tartars, who live partly in the town of Kesimow, and partly in some villages. The archbishop of Riasan and Saraisk is at the bead of the Greek clergy. The Mohammedan Tartars have their imams, mosques, and teachers.
Riasan, the capital of tho government (formerly called Peralawi Masayuki), in 54° 58' N. lat., 39° 20' E. long., is situated on the river Trubesch (a branch of the Oka) at its junction with the Lebeda. It is a well-built town with a fortress. It is the residence of the military governor of Riasan and Tambow, of the civil governor and the government authorities, the see of the archbishop, and has a seminary for priests, a gymnasium, tho cathedral, and about 20 other churches, a public library, college, a school of drawing and architecture, an hospital, and manufactories of woollen cloth, linen, sailoloth, leather, glass, iron-wares, and needles. The houses and streets are spacious, and present a cheerful appearance, particularly in the centre of the town where ie a public garden. The population is upwards of 10,000.
Sara fak on the Osetr has 5000 inhabitants, a citadel, several churches, and a great trade in cattle. There are numerous wide and straight streets, but the public buildings aro in a dilapidated condition, and the town appears almost deserted. Kasissaw, on the Oka and the Babenks, has about 7000 inhabitants, of whom 500 are Mohammedan Tartars, who carry on a great trade In furs. It was a place of consider able importance under the Tartar rule, but is now of little consequence. It contains an ancient mosque, near which is the tomb of Shah AIL