CO'CHIN-CHI'NA, kiYeltin-ela'nn. A pos session of France, in the extreme south of the peninsula of lying between Cam bodia and Annam on the north and the China Sea (Map: Asia. K 7). Its area is estimated at 23,160 square miles. It is traversed by the Mekong. which forms an extensive delta. The country is mainly a low plain. of alluvial origin.
There is a region of granitic highlands in the northeast, representing the last spurs of the An nam chain, and reaching a height of 2300 feet. The Mekong separates into three arms in Cochin China, and together with many smaller rivers forms a network of waterways. The Province of Saigon is watered by the rivers Saigon, Donna i, and the two Vaicos. The delta-land, almost wholly covered with rice-fields and gardens, is frequently inundated, and the peninsula of Ca man is like a great deserted swamp.
Cochin-China lies in the region of the mon soons. Typhoons frequently work great destruc tion. The healthfulness of the climate varies inversely with the frequency of the rains. The severest heat is in the spring of the year. Places near the seacoast are most favorable to Euro peans. The flora is like that of Indo-China in general. The gamboge-tree abounds, but palms are few. The vast forests are rich in the finest kinds of timber. There is game of every sort. from the elephant, rhinoceros, tiger, deer, and wild boar, to the smallest rodents. Among the birds are the peacock, partridge, snipe, wood cock, and pheasant. The rivers contain fish of many species; alligators are numerous. There is little mineral wealth. except phosphate of lime and salt. Most of the inhabitants are agricul turists and fishermen. About one-fifth of the area is cultivated. and the chief product is rice. which amounted in 1900 to 607.800 tolls. The coffee-culture is rapidly growing. There were 429,22S coffee-plants in 1899, mostly belonging to Europeans. Sugar-cane. mulberry-leaves, pep per, betel nuts, cotton. tobacco, maize, and va rious valuable grasses. seeds, gums. and drugs are also produced. There are 200.000 water-buf faloes and 150.000 zebus employed in labor. There are no native industries worthy of mention, except the manufacture of salt and of coarse silk stuffs.
There are few good roads; but the innumerable little streams give easy access to all parts of the country. and new canals have been excavated by the French to facilitate commerce. There are 51 miles of railway. Concessions have been granted to build a line from Saigon to Tan-linh. In 1896 there were 2276 miles of telegraph. The chief article of commerce is rice. The minor ex
ports consist of fish, cotton, silk, hides. and pepper. The articles imported are textiles, metals and metal implements, and liquors. The imports and exports for 1900 amounted to 121, 675.000 francs and 107.350,000 francs respec tively. The principal commercial port of the colony is Saigon (q.v.). the capital. In 1900 573 vessels cleared here, with 770,422 tons. Trade is almost entirely in the hands of the Chi nese. There are five banks at Saigon. The local annual budget of 1901 balanced at 4,204,244 piastres. • The colony is represented by a Deputy in the French Parliament. it is divided into four large Mitho, Vinh-long. and Bassac —and twenty districts or inspectorates. The mu nicipalities of Saigon and Choton are officially designated as 'provinces. The Lieutenant-Gov ernor is assisted by a Privy Council, composed of all the heads of departments as official members and several unofficial members. Under the Ex ecutive is a Colonial Council of fifteen members. seven of whom are natives, partly elected by the residents. The smaller councils in the arrondisse 'petits are often composed entirely of natives. Municipal councils, part French and part native, rule in Saigon and Cholon. Every chief town has a citadel and garrison, and the collection of revenue and the suppression of robbery are se cured by military posts in the interior. Besides a varying number of French troops, a force of 2405 native soldiers is maintained. The popula tion in 1898 was estimated at 2•323,499. of whom 4451 were Europeans, 2,054,851 Annamites, 183, 659 Cambodians, 65.801 Chinese, and 6374 Alois. The Catholic population numbers about 75,000, and the Buddhist 1,700,000. In 1897 there were 376 schools, with 804 teachers and 18,760 pupils. Cochin-China before the second half of the nine teenth century constituted a part of China, ORM bodia, and Annam successively. In 1801 the French took Saigon, and by treaty in the follow ing year acquired the provinces of Saigon, Bien boa, and Al itho. Hostilities continued until 1879. In 1SSS the colony became a part of the Governor Generalship of Indo-China. The name Cochin China was forme-11y applied to the whole eastern division of the Indo-Chinese Peninsula, including Tongking,.• Annam proper, and Lower Cochin China. Consult: Lemire. La Cochinchine fran saisr (Paris, 1887) ; De Lanessan• L'Indo-chine francaise (Paris, 1SSS) : Norman, Peoples and Politics of the Far East (London, 1895) :Bam•ae, La Coehinchinc et ses habitants (Saigon, 1896 99).