ALAGOAS, a maritime province of Brazil, formerly a district of Pernambuco, is situated between 9° and 10° 30' S. lat., and extends inland 150 miles. It is bounded on the N. and W. by Pernambuco, and is separated by the river San Francisco from the province of Sergipe on the S. It embraces an area of 12,000 square miles. The country, particularly in the north-west, is very mountainous, but at the same time richly wooded. On the eastern side of the mountains, hilly tracts, well suited for the cultivation of cotton, descend towards the coast, and nearer the sea there is a rich alluvial soil interspersed with swamps (lagoas), whence the province takes its name. The chief articles of produce and export are sugar-cane, rice, cotton, hides, and rosewood. Tropical fruits of all kinds are produced in abundance, and the forests, besides admirable timber, yield various dyes and drugs. The people are chiefly engaged in agriculture, and there are no manufactures of importance. The population of the province is 300,000. The town of Alagoas, formerly the capital of the province, is situated on Lake Manguaba. It has declined considerably since the transfer of the local government to Maceio. Population, including district, 12,000.