ARDENNES, a department on the N.E. frontier of France, which derives its name from the famous forest, is bounded on the N. and N.E. by Belgium, on the E. by the department of the Meuse, on the S. by that of Marne, and on the W. by that of the Aisne. In shape it is an irregular pentagon, with a cape-like prolongation into Belgium on the north. It has a superficial extent of 523,000 hectares, or 1,291,810 acres, of which 300,000 hectares, or 741,000 acres, are arable land, while 154,000 hectares, or 383,800 acres, are occupied with forest, wood, and heath. The wooded plateaus which begin in the department of the Meuse are continued in a north-west direction, and divide the basin of the Meuse from the basin of the Aisne, till they form a junction with the Ardennes proper. At one time this was a very inaccessible region, and formed a strong defence, as Dumouriez showed in 1792, against invasion from the east. The Meuse (Maas), flowing in a northern direction, enters obliquely from the east, and cuts off a narrow and irregular strip along the Belgian side of the department, which it leaves at the extreme north, to flow through Belgium and join the western branch of the Rhine. The Aisne enters near the south-east corner and leaves at the south-west; its course through the department skirting the base of the Argonne range, and forming an irregular arc with its convexity to the north. The chief wealth of Ardennes consists in mineral productions, wood, cattle, and sheep The number of cattle in 1872 was 82,975, of sheep 393,044, of horses 49,748, and of pigs 51,809. The sheep are small, but are valued for the quality of their mutton. Agriculture has recently made considerable advances in the department. There are upwards of 150 iron-mines, as at Grandpré, Champigneulle, ...