Hants
a county of England on the southern coast. It includes the Isle of Wight, and has an area of 1,645 square miles. The surface is irregular and is traversed by the North and South Downs. The chief rivers are the Test, the Anton, the Itchen, and the Avon. It is an important agricultural county.
Hops are an important crop and extensive truck farming is carried on. chief centers of trade are Southampton and Portsmouth. The capital is Winchester. Pop. about 1,000,000. The