ut the climate is not unhealthy.
In this region stock-breeding is an important industry. The principal
mountain chains are the Guadarrama, separating this province from Madrid;
the Paramera and Sierra de Avila, west of the Guadarrama; and the vast wall
of the Sierra de Gredos along the southern frontier, where its outstanding
peaks rise to 6000 or even 8000 ft. The ridges which ramify from the
Paramera are covered with valuable forests of beeches, oaks and firs,
presenting a striking contrast to the bare peaks of the Sierra de Gredos.
The principal rivers are the Alberche and Tietar, belonging to the basin of
the Tagus, and the Tormes, Trabancos and Adaja, belonging to that of the
Douro. The mountains contain silver, copper, iron, lead and coal, but their
mineral wealth has been exaggerated, and at the beginning of the 20th
century mining had practically been abandoned. Quarries of fine marble and
jasper exist in the district of Arenas. The province declined in wealth and
population during the 18th and 19th centuries, a result due less to the
want of activity on the part of the inhabitants than to the oppressive
manorial and feudal rights and the strict laws of entail and mortmain,
which acted as barriers to progress.

Towards the close of this period many improvements were introduced,
although the want of irrigation is still keenly felt. Wide tracts of waste
land were planted with pinewoods by the ducal house of Medina Sidonia. The
main roads are fairly good; and Avila, the capital, is connected by rail
with Salamanca, Valladolid and Madrid; but in many parts of the province
the means of communication are defective. Except Avila there are no
important towns. The principal production is the wool of the merino sheep,
which at one time yielded an immense revenue. Game is plentiful, and the
rivers abound in fish, specially trout. Olives, chestnuts and grapes are
grown, and silk-worms are kept. There is little trade, and the manufactures
are few, consisting chiefly of copper utensils, lime, soap, cloth, paper
and combs. The state of elementary education is comparatively good, rather
more than two-thirds of the population being able to read and write, and
the ratio of crime is proportionately low.

AVILA (anc. _Abula_ or _Avela_), the capital of the province described
above; on the right bank of the river Adaja, 54 m. W. by N. of Madrid, by
the Madrid-Valladolid railway. Pop. (1900) 11,885. The city is built on the
flat summ