GIRONDE, a maritime department in the S.W. of France, formed from four divisions of the old province of Guyenne, viz., Bordelais, Bazadais, and parts of Périgord and Agénois. It is bounded on the N. by the department of Charente-Inférieure, E. by those of Dordogne and Lot-et-Garonne, S. by that of Landes, and W. by the Bay of Biscay. It lies between 44° 12' and 45° 35' N. lat. and between 0° 18' E. and 1° 16' W. long., being 106 miles in length from N.W. to S.E., and 80 in breadth from N.E. to S.W. It takes its name from the river or estuary of the Gironde formed by the union of the Garonne and Dordogne. The department divides itself naturally into a western and an eastern portion. The former, which is termed Les Landes, occupies more than a third of the department, and consists chiefly of morasses, or of sandy and unfruitful downs. The downs stretching along the sea-coast have, however, been now planted with pines, which, binding the sand together by means of their roots, afford an efficacious protection against the encroachments of the sea. Near the coast are two extensive lakes, Carcans and Lacanau, communicating with each other, and with the bay of Arcachon, near the southern extremity of the department. The Bay of Arcachon contains numerous islands, and on the land side forms a vast shallow lagoon, a considerable portion of which, however, has been drained and converted into arable land. The eastern portion of the department consiste chiefly of a succession of hill and dale, and, especially in the valley of the Gironde, is very fertile. The estuary of the Gironde is about 45 miles in length, and varies in breadth from 2 to 6 miles. The principal affluent of the Dordogne in this department is the Isle. The feeders of the Garonne are, with the exception of the ...