Anam, Or Annam, sometimes called from one of its provinces Cochin China, an empire occupying the eastern portion of the Indo-Chinese peninsula, between lat. 8° 30' and 23° 30' N., and lon. 100° and 109° E., and bounded N. by China, E. and S. by the China sea, W. by Siam, and N W. by Burmah; area about 200,000 sq. m.; pop. probably about 15,000,000. Before the French conquests (1859-'62) the empire included three distinct provinces and part of a fourth, Cambodia. Tong-King or Tonquin, the largest province, occupies the northern part and borders on China; Cochin China proper, or Dang-Trong, extends southward in a narrow strip along the eastern coast; Tsiampa forms a continuation of this strip still further south; while that portion of Cambodia formerly belonging to Anam extends to the delta of the Cambodia river. Besides these provinces, a portion of the territory occupying the mountainous centre of the Indo-Chinese peninsula, and inhabited by the Laos and Moi tribes -primitive peoples living under patriarchal chiefs of their own - is also under the dominion of Anam; but as these tribes are also tributary to Siam and other countries, and as they profess allegiance now to one, now to another, the extent of the Anamese dominion is indefinite.

A considerable range of mountains extends through the whole length of the empire, parallel with the eastern coast, and about 30 m. distant from it. From these flow numerous rivers, which, though generally too shallow for easy navigation, thoroughly irrigate the country. The great river Mekong or Cambodia, emptying into the China sea and gulf of Siam by many mouths, richly fertilizes that part of Cambodia formerly subject to Anam, but now under French rule as a part of French Cochin China. Throughout the southern part of Anam, but especially near this delta, the country produces great abundance of rice, sugar, spices, and tropical fruits. The mountains supply excellent timber for ship-building, besides ebony and other valuable woods. The inhabitants of the northeastern coast live in great part from the product of the fisheries. - The Anamese are a people somewhat akin to the Chinese in language and in many of their most important customs; but they also partake largely of the Malay characteristics, and evidently form a link between the Mongolian and Malay races. They are generally quiet and inoffensive, indolent and fond of gayety. They wear their hair long and gathered in a knot on the top of the head, have little beard, and dress in simple frocks and wide trousers of cotton or silk.

Many Chinese merchants live among them, and carry on commerce, which the natives neglect, in rice, indigo, and silk. The last the Anamese manufacture with considerable skill, but •they have few other industries. Their religion is professedly Buddhism, and the higher classes even adopt Confucianism; but they are not a religious people. The social customs of the Anamese are very similar to those of the Chinese; but though the women are much oppressed, they are not obliged to live in seclusion. Weddings and funerals are celebrated with great ceremony. The mountain tribes already noticed claim to be the aborigines, and have their own religions and customs. (See Laos.) - Anam is governed by an emperor with absolute power; and under him are the mandarins, or officials, forming a nobility sharply distinguished from the body of the people. Embassies are annually sent to Peking, but Anam no longer pays tribute to the Chinese empire. Mandarins appointed by the emperor govern the provinces, and control the standing army, which is comparatively large. The capital of the country is Hue, at the mouth of the river of the same name. - The early history of Anam is involved in obscurity.

It is only known that frequent wars with neighboring powers determined its boundaries, and that the empire was formerly entirely subject to China. In the latter half of the 13th century Marco Polo visited the country. The Portuguese were the first Europeans who actually resided there. In the 17th century, when Anam was in its greatest prosperity, the Jesuits introduced Christianity, and propagated it with such energy that by the close of the 18th century French priests had converted the emperor, Gya-Long, and established a hierarchy of great influence. The succeeding emperors, however, rejected its doctrines and persecuted priests and converts. The present emperor, Tu-l)uc, has especially opposed Christianity; and the murder of several missionaries between 1854 and 1858 seemed to the French government a sufficient cause for revenge, while it served as a pretext for the acquirement of a French colony in the East. In 1858 a French fleet, assisted by sev-eral Spanish vessels, captured Turon, a town near the capital, Hue. In 1859 the French took Saigon, an important town on the river Saigon. After an obstinate resistance on the part of the Anamese, who succeeded in prolonging the war for four years, the French, who had taken many towns and the whole province of Saigon, dictated terms of peace by which they became possessors of that province as well as of Bienhoa and Mytho; these remain in their possession and form, under the name of Cochin China, the only important French colony in the East. (See Cochin China.) By the treaty, three ports in Tonquin were opened, and Christianity was permitted throughout Anam. An insurrection took place in December, 18G2, but it was quelled by the French.