CASTILE, Old, a large division of the kingdom of Spain. It is of irregular shape, and is bounded by New Castile in a considerable part. A small portion of it reaches the shores of the Bay of Biscay; and Leon and Estremadura bound it on the western side. Its superficial extent is 1488 square leagues, and it contains a population of 970,763 souls. It is divided into the four provinces of Burgos, Soria, Segovia, and Avila, which are described in their alphabetical stations in this work. It is crossed by the two great rivers the Ebro and the Duero, and has a few other rivulets, which run into them; but, generally speaking, it is a peculiarly arid district. It produces, however, in favourable seasons, abundance of grain; but in a summer of great drought its crops of corn are miserably deficient. A very great proportion of the Merino flocks, and those which bear the finest wool, are shorn in this [7:6:230]province; but being migratory, they may be said to feed all over the kingdom, passing their time in travelling from north to south, and back again, according as the pasture in the various climates becomes fitted for their grazing. There is wine sufficient grown in this province for its own consumption; and some, but not a sufficiency of olive oil. The whole province is very bare of trees, in consequence of which it is much exposed to the drying heats of the sun, and probably enjoys less rain. Its manufacturing industry was very considerable in the sixteenth century; but it has been gradually declining since that period, and few traces of it are now remaining. Besides the four provinces specified, Old Castile has a portion of the coast called Cantabrica within its limits. From this division a considerable trade is carried on through the ports of Santander and Santona, from which chestnuts are exported to Holland, and lemons and oranges to France. There are also docks, in which large vessels, and some ships of war, are built at Guarnizo, on the river Santander. The royal residences of the Escurial and Ildefonso are in this province.

Castile, New, one of the most considerable divisions of the kingdom of Spain. It is bounded on the east by Aragon and Valencia, on the north by Old Castile and Aragon, on the west by Estremadura, and on the south by Cordova, Jaen, and Murcia. The superficial extent is 2583 square leagues, and the amount of its population was, in the year 1804, according to the census, 1,220,114 souls.

The civil divisions of New Castile are the provinces of Madrid, Guadalaxara, Cuenca, Toledo, and La Mancha. The description of Madrid, the capital of the Spanish monarchy, will be found under that article, and the other capitals of these five provinces in their several alphabetical places. New Castile may be generally described as a very healthy district; and though some considerable portions of it are very mountainous and barren, it is on the whole a fertile country; and the valleys are eminently so. It produces abundance of corn, wine, oil, and fruits of all kinds. It breeds a considerable number of cows, horse, mules, asses, pigs, and sheep; but it is very deficient in manufactures of almost every kind.

The most considerable mountains are the range called Iberica, which, commencing near the fountains of the Tagus, in the province of Aragon, enter New Castile by Cuença. From Cuença they may be traced by Toledo, between the rivers Tagus and Guadiana, with various projecting ramifications, till they terminate near the latter river, in the vicinity of Merida. Another range, beginning near the head of the Ebro, passes the sources of the Tagus and those of the Xarama, and, called Somosierra near Madrid, enters the province of Old Castile.

The rivers of this province arc, the Manzanares, rising in the northern part of it, and passing by Madrid, after which it enters the Xarama, which is further increased by the streams of the Henares; and the Henares, which receives the waters of the Tajuna, and then flows into the Tagus, which latter crosses the province, and runs to Estremadura. The greatest complaint uttered against nature in New Castile is the want of water, which, except near these rivers, is very great, and produces much sterility.