PERM, A government of Eastern Russia. bounded by the Government of Vologda on the north. Tobol.k on the east. Orenburg and Ufa on the south, and Vyatka on the west (Map: Russia, .1 3). Area, about 128.300 square miles. While politically a government of European Rus sia, geographically Perm belongs partly to Asia. The centre of the region is occupied by the Ural Mountains (q.v.), which traverse the district Irian north to south. 'f hey hardly exceed 5000 feet in their highest point,. The eastern part of the !acrnment is lower than the western. ( For geology, See PERMIAN SYSTEM.) Terms is watered by the Kama. Petehora, and Sosva, with their tributaries. The largest of these streams arc navigable.
The climate is continental and harsh, especially in the mountainous districts of the centre. In re gard to its mineral deposits Perm exceeds every other government of European Russia. T h he chief minerals are gold, silver, iron, copper, platinum, nickel, sine, coal, and salt. Precious stones, such as sapphires, jacinths, topazes, and many others, are also found in considerable quantities. The mining of iron and copper employs over 190.000 persons. The value of the annual output is esti mated at over $28,001,000. The annual output of gold exceeds 82,500,0011, while the output of coal is as yet slight.
Agriculture is carried on all over the district. Ina only in flu• black-soil region of the south is the supply equal to the demand. Stock-raising is especially developed among the Bashkirs. Perm has extensive forests which cover over S11 per cent. of the total area. Lumbering and ship building are carried on to some extent. The house industry is favored by the abundance of natural resources. The products of that industry include hardware, pottery, wooden articles, yarns, coarse cloth, ropes, trunks, etc. The manufac turing industries are chiefly in connection with the mineral industries, na nu.ly. the manufactur ing of steel, iron, etc. The fairs of lrbit (q.v.) are of considerable importance in the trade with the eastern possessions of Russia. lint since the construction of the Trans Siberian Railway the commerce has fallen off to a perceptible extent. Populating. in 1897, 3.003,2118, including a eon siderable number of Dashkirs, Permiaks, Tatars, 'rchcienisse,, and Yoguls. The exploitation of the mining resources of the region was begun by the Stroganoffs in the sixteenth century. Capital, Perm.