Carinthia

Carinthia (German, Kärnten), province in southern Austria, bordered by the provinces of the Tirol on the north-west and east, Salzburg and Styria on the north, Slovenia on the south-east, and Italy on the south-west. The principal rivers are the Drau, which flows in a generally west to east direction, and the Gail, which flows generally east and then north to join the Drau near the town of Villach. The area west of the confluence of the rivers, known as Upper Carinthia, is in a mountainous section of the Alps and is the site of the Grossglockner (3,797 m/12,457 ft), the highest peak in Austria. Mining of lead, zinc, iron, and lignite are important in the region, as are forestry and the raising of cattle and sheep. The area east of the confluence of the Drau and the Gail is known as Lower Carinthia. This region is also mountainous, but it contains the fertile Drau Basin, in which wheat, rye, corn, and fruit are grown. The Wörthersee is a resort lake that attracts many tourists. The capital city of Klagenfurt and the town of Villach are the chief industrial centres, with plants for the manufacture of metals, chemicals, and textiles.

Carinthia, originally a Roman possession, was made an independent duchy in 976. It fell to the Habsburg family in the 13th century and became an Austrian Crown territory in the 14th century. After World War I Carinthia lost some of its land to Italy and Yugoslavia. Area 9,533 sq km (3,681 sq mi); population 559,891 (2004 estimate).