Brandenburgprovince

Brandenburg (province), one of the largest provinces of Prussia, covering an area of 15,500 square miles. Its boundaries are on the north, Mecklenburg and the province of Pomerania; east, Posen and Silesia; south, Silesia and the kingdom of Saxony; and west, Anhalt and the provinces of Saxony and Hanover. For the most part it is a sandy plain, with here and there fertile districts and woodland. Its chief town is Berlin, and among its other leading towns are Potsdam, Frankfort, Brandenburg, etc. It is watered by the Elbe, the Oder, the Havel, and the Spree, with their numerous tributaries and canals. Besides agriculture and cattle raising, the inhabitants engage in the manufacture of silks, cotton, wool, paper, brandy-distilling, and its mineral products embrace coal, limestone, gypsum, etc. The province is divided into the governments of Potsdam and Frankfort. Berlin forming an independent jurisdiction, and its inhabitants are mainly Lutherans. Its connection with the Prussian monarchy dates from the time of Frederick I., Elector of Brandenburg.