GALICIA, the largest province of Spain, and that which contains the greatest number of inhabitants. It is situated in the north-west corner of the peninsula. On the east it is bounded by Asturias and Leon, on the north and west by the ocean, and on the south by Portugal, from which it is separated by the river Mino. The extent of this province is 15,000 square miles, and the number of its inhabitants amounts to 1,585,419.

On the coast the climate is mild and temperate; but, from the frequent and heavy rains which fall on the higher land, it is both humid and cold. Scarcely one sixth part of this province is cultivated; for though the natives are of robust frames and industrious habits, yet, as almost all the land belongs to either spiritual or municipal corporations, or is held in mayorazo or entail by private lords, the cultivators have no encouragement to improve, or are too poor to do so. They live in a state of great depression, are fed coarsely, and their houses and clothing bespeak great poverty. From the distress felt in their native province, they emigrate to every part of the peninsula, and procure subsistence by the lowest and severest kinds of labour. The term Galego is hence become synonymous with that of porter in every part of Spain. Wherever they are they seldom fail in regard for their native province; and they often return to it when they have saved enough in service to subsist upon. Their attachment to their families, especially to their aged and infirm relatives, is evinced by sending them pecuniary assistance; and they anxiously seek out employment for those of their younger relations and friends who may be inclined to exchange their condition for better food and more ample wages. Galicia contains more good harbours than the whole of the rest of the north of Spain, and it is crossed by various rivers, so that under a good system of government it might become a country of considerable commerce. One of the greatest hindrances to increasing prosperity is the want of good roads, bridges, and other means of communication. Some few advances towards these improvements had commenced, and would probably have succeeded, but for the war of the invasion, which put aside every object that did not immediately tend to the defence of the country. When fanaticism was more prevalent than it has recently been, the roads to the capital, Santiago, were frequented by numberless pilgrims from every part of Spain, and even France, who came to pay their vows at the shrine of St Jago. At that period roads, bridges, and hospitals were erected, but as the zeal for pilgrimages declined, these establishments decayed. Attempts to revive them were made in the reign of Ferdinand VI. about the year 1750, and roads were formed from Corunna to Santiago, from Corunna towards Madrid by Betanzos and Lugo, and from Santiago to Pontevedra, Puente de San Payo, and Tuy. These pass through the most sterile parts of the province.

They are therefore less beneficial than one which was begun when the French entered Spain, which was designed to pass from Benevente to Vigo through Sanabria and Montemy, with branches connecting them with Santiago, Pontevedra, and Tuy. If even this plan is effected it will be of great advantage to all Galicia, but especially to the environs of Orensee, in which much wine is made, and where, for want of roads, the greatest calamity that can happen to the cultivators is a very productive grape season; for having no foreign vent, the price is so low that it does not pay the expense. It is estimated that the district of Orensee, after supplying its own inhabitants with wine, would be able to send to other markets 400,000 gallons annually.

Though Galicia is partially and imperfectly cultivated, it produces wheat and barley, but not in sufficient quantity for its consumption. It yields maize, potatoes, chestnuts, nuts, and wine. It feeds much cattle, especially pigs, from which hams and sausages are great articles of traffic with Castille, Andalusia, and the kingdom of Portugal; but having little or no oil, it receives that article from those parts in exchange. Hemp is grown, but not in sufficient quantity for the demand, which is supplied by the annual importation of about 1000 tons from the ports on the Baltic. Some flax and silk are raised in Galicia, but scarcely sufficient for the domestic consumption.

The plantations of oranges and lemons have gradually disappeared in Galicia, as well as in the neighbouring provinces of Asturias and Santander. In the middle of the seventeenth century both England and France were supplied with these delicious fruits from this province; but, as is supposed, from some change of climate, none are now grown in the north; and the whole commerce in these fruits is transferred to the southern provinces of the peninsula.

The manufactures of Galicia are leather, inferior woollen cloths and blankets, hats, linen, and some silks. Many families in some parts live by weaving, which is performed principally by the females, and there no house is to be found without a loom. The fisheries both on the coast and on the rivers employ many men, whilst their wives are weaving; and produce salmon, lampreys, eels, trouts, and other fish. These are pickled, and furnish a trade with the interior, though complaints are made that the demand is constantly decreasing. The same complaints are made of want of sale for sardinias, a most excellent sea-fish, which used, when caught, to be slightly salted, and conveyed in baskets to the mountainous districts, where no fish is to be had for keeping Lent and other periods of abstinence.

The sea-ports and fisheries of Galicia used to breed the best seamen of Spain, and the number of vessels of different classes once amounted to 1600; but the long wars in which the connection with France has involved Spain, whilst they have annihilated the royal navy, have reduced very considerably the merchant ships, and the seamen, who used to supply the king’s fleet with dexterous sailors.

The rivers of Galicia are the Mino, which rises in the north, and after a course of fifty leagues, and receiving various tributary streams, enters the Atlantic Ocean at the boundary between Spain and Portugal; the Tamago, which rises in the province, and entering Portugal, empties itself into the Duero; and the Montemy, which likewise runs to the Duero.

The only mines, though the mountains are said to abound in iron, are some of tin, which were worked on account of the government; but in 1798 the working was abandoned, either because, from the negligence displayed in most royal works, it was too expensive, or the mines were not sufficiently rich in metal to induce a continuance of the operations. These mines are at Ciervas, one league from Montemy. This province contains 18,230 [7:10:288]horses, 17,090 mules, 12,050 asses, 88,667 neat cattle, 764,509 sheep, 73,011 goats, and 142,236 swine. The bees produce, of honey 707, and of wax 347 ⅛ cwt. The inhabitants make 200,000 dozen stockings, and 5,550,000 varas of linen.