NOVGOROD, n6v'etertid. A government of Russia, bounded by the governments of Olonetz, \'ologda. Yaroslav, Tver, Pskov, and Saint Peters burg (Map: Russia, D 3). Area, about 47.300 square miles. The southern part belongs to the Valdai plateau and is mostly hilly. In the northeast are found a large number of lakes and immense impassable marshes—the beds of former lakes—covered with thin forests. The north western part slopes toward Lake Ladoga and is thickly wooded. The district is watered by numerous rivers, which connect it with the Bal tic. the Caspian, and the White Sea. The chief of them are the Volkhov (connecting the lakes lhnen and Ladoga), the Sheksna and the Mologa, tribu taries of the Volga, the Syas, flowing into Lake Ladoga, and the Msta, belonging to Lake 'linen. Among the larger lakes may be mentioned the Byeloe and the Vozhe in the northeast. Many of the rivers are navigable and connected with each other and the lakes by an extensive system of canals.
The climate is severe, the yearly temperature at Novgorod averaging only 39° F. Farming is the leading industry, although its returns are so small as to oblige a large proportion of the popu lation to engage in some other occupation, such as lumbering. or to emigrate for a part of the year to Saint Petersburg. where artisans from Novgorod are very numerous. The house indus try is only slightly developed, the chief item of production being nails of an inferior kind. Wood, live animals, and hay are the chief exports, and there is a considerable traffle on the rivers and canals. Population. in 1897, 1.392.933, chiefly Russians belonging to the Greek Church. There are also a number of Non-Conformists. For his tory, see the article on NoveoRou. the capital.