QCD₂ and the classical correspondence in the large-N limit

It is shown that the large-N limit of quantum chromodynamics in twodimensions is determined by classical equations with boundary conditions. The nonperturbative quantum spectrum of mesonic bound states is obtained from a classical equation with a simple N-dependent boundary condition on the local charge density. The simplicity of the classical correspondence is shown to be directly tied to the simplicity of the space of gauge invariant operators of the theory. Implications for other large-N models are discussed.