Kum

Kum, next to Meshed the most sacred city of Persia, is a straggling, half-ruined town between Ispahan and Teheran. Its shrines and tombs of Mohammedan (Shiite) saints attract thousands of pilgrims. Pop. 20,000.

Kumamoto

Kumamoto', a town on the west coast of the island of Kiu-siu, Japan. Pop. 64,500.

Rumania. See Cumania.

Kumaun

Kumaun, a district in the North-west Provinces of India. It lies chiefly on the south slope of the Himalayas, and comprises summits rising to over 20,000 feet. Almora is the capital. Area, 7151 sq. m. ; pop. 1,250,000.

Kunawar

Kunawar, a division of Bashahr (q.v.).

Kunduz

Kunduz. See Afghanistan.

Kunersdorf

Kunersdorf. a village in Prussia, 4 miles E. of Frankfort-on-the-Oder. Here Frederick the Great, after gaining a half victory, was routed by the Russians and Austrians, August 12, 1759.

Kungur

Kungur, a town in Russia, 50 miles SSE. of Perm. Pop. 15,300. Kura, a river of the Caucasus.

Kuram

Kuram, a river rising in Afghanistan near the northern end of the western Suliman range, and flowing to the Indus near Isakhel.

Kuria-Muria

Kuria-Muria, a group of five islands, 21 miles from the south-east coast of Arabia. Area, 21 miles ; pop. 34. They were ceded to England in 1854 by the Imam of Muscat. On one of them is a signalling telegraphic station.

Kuriles

Kuriles, a sparsely-populated group of twenty-six islands, extending from Kamchatka to Yezo, and belonging to Japan. In 1875 the Japanese surrendered their good claims on the southern part of Saghalien (resumed by the treaty of 1905 closing the war with Russia), and received in exchange from Russia the northerly portion of the Kuriles. With a few exceptions the population remains in this misty and inhospitable region only during the summer, as long as the fishing season lasts.

Kurisches Haff

Ku'risches Haff, a fresh-water lagoon of East Prussia, extending 61 miles south from Memel, with an average width of 14 miles. It is connected with the Baltic by the ' Memel Deeps,' a channel 500 yards wide and 20 feet deep. The spit of sand-dunes, 1 to 2 miles wide, that separates it from the Baltic, is encroaching on the haff.

Kurland

Kurland. See Courland.

Kursk

Kursk (Koorsk), chief town of a Russian government, 312 miles by rail S. by W. of Moscow and 274 NNE. of Kieff. The chief industry is tanning ; but soap, tobacco, candles, and spirits are also manufactured. Kursk is celebrated for its orchards, and has an observatory. Pop. 52,957. Near the town a great fair is held after Easter. - The government has an area of 17,931 sq. m., and a pop. (1897) of 2,396,900.

Kuruman

Kuruman, a mission-station in Bechuanaland, 130 miles NW. of Kimberley. Dr Moffat laboured here for years, and here too was Livingstone.

Kusi

Kusi, a considerable tributary of the Ganges, rises in the Nepal Himalayas, NW. of Mount Everest, and flows 325 miles generally south, in a rapid stream.

Kuskoquim

Kus'koquim. See Alaska.