The Mena weekly star., 1897-01-20
TAlcKLY- POPULATED sAxoNy.
BeIgium's Distinction Is Now at an
 End

BeIgium's Distinction Is Now at an
 End
 Every schoolboy who has studied and remembers anything of geography knows that the little monarchy of Bel gium has enjoyed the distinction of be- ing the most densely populated country of the world. The year 1890 was one of census in almost every country, and by that census it appeared that the average population of Belgium to the square mile was 530. England fol!cw- ing with 505, France with 420, Holland with $50, Italy with 260, Germany with 233, Ireland with 14s. Spain with SC, Sweden with 2S, and the United States with 20.
 The population of Belgium at that time was 25 times greater to the square mile than the population of the United States. The land area of Belgium is 11,000 square miles. It is larger than New Jersey, New Hampshire, Connec- ticut, Massachusetts, Vermont or Mary land, but not half the size of Maine. With the multiplication of it's manufac- lures and mining interests and through its remarkable commercial and rail- road facilities, Belgium has been in- creasing very rapidly in population of late years; though, even as early as 1920 Belgium, then a part of the king dom of Holland, was the most thickly populated portion of Europe. At the time of the establishment of Belgian independence in 1880 the population was 3,700,O00; it was 5,000,000 in 1870, and it is now in excess of 6.000,000. But Belgiums distinction has been eclirsed during the present year by Saxony, which is now the most thickly popu- lated country of Europe.
 The area of Saxony has varied ac- cording to political conditions, having been more than twice us large at the be- ginning of the present century as it was at the outbreak of the Prussian-Aus- trian war of 1866. Since then it has been increased, so that it now includes 6,777 square miles, little more than the Island of Jamaica, in the West Indies. The population of Saxony has been in- creasing more rapidly than that of other parts of Germany, and it is now in excess of 3,000,000. Saxony has always been the most thickly populated portion of Germany, but not until this year the most thicl<ly populated country of Europe. The development of the man. ufacturing interests of Saxony ac- counts chiefly for its great growth At the close of the Franco-German war, Dresden, long a favorite city among Americans abroad, had population of 177,000. It has now 2S5,000. Leipsig had 100000; it. has now nearly 30o000 CLemnitz had 6S,000; it now has 100000 The development of the woolen indus try in Saxony accounts very largely for the increased population in its manu- featuring centers, the disposition of the Germans of Saxony being, quite evil dently, to move into the large cities, whereas the residents of Han over and Bavaria, two of the largest po- litical divisions of Germany, have pre- ferred to pursue the business of agri- culture. Bavaria is five times larger than Saxony, but the population is less than twice as large. The cities of Ba- varia, too, have not grown very rapidly of late years, and the city of Hanover, in Hanover, has increased very little dur ing the last ten years. Density of pop ulation, sometimes considered as the test of civilization in country, is not to be thus regarded if the Tenth ward of New York city can be accepted as a fair criterion.-St. Louis Republic.