South Tyrol
Encyclopedia
South Tyrol also known by its Italian name Alto Adige, is an autonomous
province
in northern Italy
. It is one of the two autonomous provinces that make up the autonomous region
of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The province has an area of 7400 square kilometres (2,857 sq mi) and a total population of more than 500,000 inhabitants. Its capital is the city of Bolzano (German: Bozen; Ladin: Balsan or Bulsan).
The majority of the population speak German
. Around a quarter of the population speak Italian
, and a small minority have Ladin
as their mother language.
South Tyrol is granted a considerable level of self-government, consisting of a large range of exclusive legislative powers and a fiscal regime that allows the province to retain 90% of all levied taxes.
In the wider context of the European Union
, the province is one of the three members of the Euroregion
of Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino, which corresponds almost exactly to the historical region of Tyrol
.
. German and Ladin speakers usually refer to the area as Südtirol; the Italian equivalent Sudtirolo (sometimes spelled Sud Tirolo) is getting increasingly common.
Alto Adige (English: "Upper Adige"), one of the Italian names for the province, is also used in English. The term had been the name of political subdivisions along the Adige River
in the time of Napoleon Bonaparte, who created the Department of Alto Adige
. It was reused as the Italian name of the current province after its post-World War I creation, and was a symbol of the subsequent forced Italianization
of South Tyrol.
The official name of the province today in German is Autonome Provinz Bozen — Südtirol. German speakers usually refer to it not as a Provinz, but as a Land (such as the Länder
of either Germany or Austria). Provincial institutions are referred to using the prefix Landes-, such as Landesregierung (state government) or Landeshauptmann
(governor).
The official name in Italian is Provincia autonoma di Bolzano — Alto Adige, in Ladin Provinzia autonoma de Balsan/Bulsan — Südtirol.
. In 1915, the Entente
promised the area to Italy in London as an incentive to enter the war on their side. Until 1918 part of the Austro-Hungarian Princely County of Tyrol
, this almost completely German-speaking territory was occupied by Italy at the end of the war in November 1918 and was annexed in 1919. The province as it exists today was created in 1926 after an administrative reorganization of the Kingdom of Italy
and was incorporated together with the province of Trent into the newly created region Venezia Tridentina.
Under the fascist government, huge efforts were made to bring forward the Italianization of South Tyrol
. The German language was banished from public service, German teaching was officially forbidden and German newspapers were censored with the exception of the fascist Alpenzeitung. The regime massively favoured immigration from other Italian regions.
The subsequent alliance between Adolf Hitler
and Benito Mussolini
declared that South Tyrol would not follow the destiny of Austria, which had been annexed to the Third Reich. Instead the dictators agreed that the German-speaking population be transferred to German-ruled territory or dispersed around Italy, but the outbreak of the Second World War prevented them from fully carrying out their relocation.
In 1943, when the Italian government signed an armistice with the Allies, the region was occupied by Germany
, which reorganised it as the Operation Zone of the Alpine Foothills and put it under the administration of Gauleiter
Franz Hofer
. The region was de facto annexed to the German Reich (with the addition of the province of Belluno
) until the end of the war. This status ended along with the Nazi regime, and Italian rule was restored in 1945.
, Italy's prime minister, a native of Trentino, wanted to extend the autonomy to his fellow citizens. This led to the creation of the region called Trentino-Alto Adige/Tiroler Etschland. The Gruber-De Gasperi Agreement
was signed by the Italian and Austrian Foreign Ministers, creating the autonomous region of Trentino-South Tyrol, consisting of the autonomous provinces of Trentino and South Tyrol. German and Italian were both made official languages, and German-language education was permitted once more. However, as the Italians were the majority in the combined region, the self-government of the German minority became impossible.
This, together with the arrival of new Italian-speaking immigrants, led to strong dissatisfaction among South Tyroleans, which culminated in terrorist acts perpetrated by the Befreiungsausschuss Südtirol (BAS — Committee for the Liberation of South Tyrol). In a first phase only public edifices and fascist monuments were targeted. The second phase was bloodier, costing 21 lives (15 members of Italian uniformed services, 2 civilians and 4 terrorists).
in 1960. A fresh round of negotiations took place in 1961 but proved unsuccessful, partly because of the campaign of terrorism
.
The issue was resolved in 1971, when a new Austro-Italian treaty was signed and ratified. It stipulated that disputes in South Tyrol would be submitted for settlement to the International Court of Justice
in The Hague
, that the province would receive greater autonomy within Italy, and that Austria would not interfere in South Tyrol's internal affairs. The new agreement proved broadly satisfactory to the parties involved and the separatist tensions soon eased.
The new autonomous status, granted from 1972 onwards, has resulted in a considerable level of self-government, also due to the large financial resources of South Tyrol, retaining almost 90% of all levied taxes.
Italy and Austria officially ended their dispute with an autonomy agreement in 1992.
Since the new statute of autonomy came into force, the province has undergone considerable development and is nowadays one of the richest regions in Italy.
The extensive self-government provided by the current institutional framework has been advanced as a model for settling interethnic disputes and for the successful protection of linguistic minorities. This is among the reasons why the Ladin municipalities of Cortina d'Ampezzo
/Anpezo, Livinallongo del Col di Lana
/Fodom and Colle Santa Lucia
/Col have asked in a referendum to be detached from Veneto and reannexed to the province, from which they were separated under the fascist government.
In 1996, the Euroregion Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino
was formed between the Austrian state of Tyrol and the Italian provinces of South Tyrol and Trentino. The boundaries of the association correspond to the old County of Tyrol. The aim is to promote regional peace, understanding and cooperation in many areas. The region's assemblies meet together as one on various occasions and have set up a common liaison office to the European Union
in Brussels.
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South Tyrol is located at the northernmost point in Italy. The province is bordered by Austria to the east and north, specifically by the Austrian federal-states Tyrol
and Salzburg
, and by the Swiss
canton of Graubünden
to the west. The Italian provinces of Trento, Belluno
, and Sondrio
border to the southeast, south, and southwest, respectively.
The landscape itself is mostly cultivated with different types of shrubs and forests and is highly mountainous.
Entirely located in the Alps
, the province's landscape is dominated by mountains. The highest peak is the Ortler
(3,905 m) in the far west, which is also the highest peak in the Eastern Alps
outside the Bernina range. Even more famous are the craggy peaks of the Dolomites
in the eastern part of the region.
The following mountain groups are (partially) in South Tyrol. All but the Sarntal Alps are on the border with Austria, Switzerland, or other Italian provinces. The ranges are clockwise from the west and for each the highest peak is given that is within the province or on its border.
Located in between the mountains are a large number of valleys
, which is where the majority of the population lives.
The province is further divided into 116 Gemeinden
or comuni
.
Climatically South Tyrol may be divided into five distinct groups:
The Etsch valley area, with cold winters (24-h averages in January of about 0°C) and warm summers (24-h averages in July of about 23°C), usually classified as Humid subtropical climate
— Cfa. It is the driest and sunniest climate of the province. The main city in this area is Bolzano.
The midlands between 300 and 900 metres, with cold winters (24-h averages in January between -3°C and 1°C) and mild summers (24-h averages in July between 15°C and 21°C); This is a typical Oceanic climate
, classified as Cfb. It is usually wetter than the subtropical climate, and very snowy during the winters. During the spring and autumn, there is a large foggy season, but fog may occur even on summer mornings. Main towns in this area are Merano, Bruneck
, Sterzing
, Brixen
. Near the lakes in higher lands (between 1000 and 1400 meters) the humidity may make the climate in these regions milder during winter, but also cooler in summer, then, a Subpolar oceanic climate, Cfc, may occur.
The alpine valleys between 900 and 1400 metres, with a typically Humid continental climate
— Dfb, covering the largest part of the province. The winters are usually very cold (24-h averages in January between -8°C and -3°C), and the summers, mild with averages between 14 and 19°C. It is a very snowy climate; snow may occur from early October to April or even May. Main municipalities in this area are Urtijëi
, Badia, Sexten
, Toblach
, Stilfs
, Vöran, Mühlwald
.
The alpine valleys between 1400 and 1700 metres, with a Subarctic climate
— Dfc, with harsh winters (24-h averages in January between -9°C and -5°C) and cool, short, rainy and foggy summers (24-h averages in July of about 12°C). These areas usually have five months below the freezing point, and snow sometimes occurs even during the summer, in September. This climate is the wettest of the province, with large rainfalls during the summer, heavy snowfalls during spring and fall. The winter is usually a little drier, marked by freezing and dry weeks, although not sufficiently dry to be classified as a Dwc climate. Main municipalities in this area are Corvara, Sëlva
, Santa Cristina Gherdëina.
The highlands above 1700 meters, with an alpine tundra climate
, ET, which becomes an Ice Cap Climate, EF above 3000 meters. The winters are cold, but sometimes not as cold as the higher valleys' winters. In January, most of the areas at 2000 meters have an average temperature of about -5°C, while in the valleys at about 1600 meters, the mean temperature may be as low as -8 or -9°C. The higher lands, above 3000 meters are usually extremely cold, with averages of about -14°C during the coldest month, January.
and the Autonomy Statute of the Region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The 1972 second Statute of Autonomy for Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol devolved
most legislative and executive competences from the regional level to the provincial level, creating de facto
two separate regions.
The considerable legislative power
of the province is vested in an assembly (German: Südtiroler Landtag; Italian: Consiglio della Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano; Ladin: Cunsëi dla Provinzia Autonoma de Bulsan).
The legislative powers of the assembly cover all those subject matters that are not expressly reserved to the exclusive legislative power of the Italian State or to concurrent legislation per article 117 of the Italian Constitution.
The executive powers are attributed to the government
(German: Landesregierung; Italian: Giunta Provinciale) headed by the Landeshauptmann
Luis Durnwalder
, who has been in power since 1989. He belongs to the South Tyrolean People's Party, which has been governing with absolute majority since 1948.
The majority of people are employed in a variety of sectors, from agriculture
— the province is a large producer of apples, its wines are also renowned — to industry
to services, especially tourism
. The unemployment level in 2007 was roughly 2.4 % (2.0 % for men and 3.0 % for women).
. Freights by road and rail pass through here. One of the most important highways is the A22
, also called the Autostrada del Brennero. It connects to the Brenner Autobahn in Austria.
The vehicle registration plate of South Tyrol is the two-letter provincial code Bz for the capital city. Along with the autonomous Trentino (Tn) and Aosta Valley (Ao), South Tyrol is allowed to surmount its license plates with its coat of arms.
Rail transport goes over the Brenner Pass
. The Brenner Railway
is a major line connecting the Austrian
and Italian railways
from Innsbruck
and Verona
climbing the Wipptal
, passing over the Brenner Pass and descending down the Eisack Valley
to Bolzano and then down the Adige Valley from Bolzano to Rovereto and to Verona. The line is part of the Line 1
of Trans-European Transport Networks
(TEN-T).
Other railways are the Pustertalbahn, Ritten Railway and Vinschgaubahn. Due to the steep slopes of the mountains, a number of funicular
s exist, such as the Gardena Ronda Express funicular
and Mendel Funicular.
The Brenner Base Tunnel
is under construction and slated to be completed by 2020. It will have a length of 55 km and will become the world's second longest railway tunnel after the Gotthard Base Tunnel
. This tunnel will considerably reduce travel time by hours.
Larger cities used to have their own tramway system, such as the Meran Tramway and Bolzano Tramway. These were replaced after the Second World War with buses. Many other cities and municipalities have their own bus system or are connected with each other by it.
The Bolzano Airport
is the only airport serving the region.
German and Italian are both official languages of South Tyrol. In some eastern municipalities Ladin is the third official language. A majority of the inhabitants of contemporary South Tyrol speak Austro-Bavarian
dialects of the German language.
Every citizen has the right to use his own mother tongue, even at court. Schools are separated for each language group.
All traffic signs are bi- or trilingual. Only panels in railway stations run by the province are sometimes monolingual (German). Most Italian toponyms are translations performed by Ettore Tolomei
, the author of the Prontuario dei nomi locali dell'Alto Adige
.
In order to reach a fair allocation of jobs in public service a system called ethnic proportion (Ita. proporzionale etnica, Ger. ethnischer Proporz) has been established. Every ten years, when the general census of population takes place, each citizen has to declare to which linguistic group they belong or want to be aggregated to. According to the results they decide how many people of which group are going to be hired for public service.
At the time of the annexation of the southern part of Tyrol
by Italy in 1919, the overwhelming majority of the population spoke German: In 1910, according to the last population census before World War I
, the German-speaking population numbered 224,000, the Ladin 9,000 and the Italian 7,000.
As a result of the italianization of South Tyrol nowadays about 25% of the population are Italian-speakers (they were roughly 35% in the 1960s). According to the census of 2001, 103 out of 116 comuni have a majority of German native speakers — with Sankt Pankraz
reaching 99.81% — 8 Ladin and 5 Italian speakers. The Italian-speaking population is mainly based around the city of Bolzano, where they are the majority (73% of the inhabitants), and is a direct result of Benito Mussolini
's policy of Italianisation after he took power in 1922, when he encouraged immigration from the rest of Italy. The other four comuni where the Italian-speaking population is the majority are Laives
, Salorno
, Bronzolo
and Vadena
. The eight comuni with Ladin
majorities are: La Val
, Badia, Corvara, Mareo
, San Martin de Tor
, Santa Cristina Gherdëina, Sëlva
, Urtijëi
.
The linguistic breakdown according to the census of 2001:
, widely regarded as the greatest mountain climber of all time, is the first climber to conquer the 14 highest mountains in the world, many of them, including the highest Everest, without the use of Oxygen. Armin Zöggeler
is a famous Italian luge
r and double olympic champion. Carolina Kostner
is a talented figure skater. HC Interspar Bolzano-Bozen Foxes are one of Italy's most successful ice hockey teams.
Autonomous area
An autonomous area or autonomous entity is an area of a country that has a degree of autonomy, or freedom from an external authority. Typically it is either geographically distinct from the rest of the country or populated by a national minority. Countries that include autonomous areas are often...
province
Provinces of Italy
In Italy, a province is an administrative division of intermediate level between a municipality and a region .-Overview:...
in northern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It is one of the two autonomous provinces that make up the autonomous region
Regions of Italy
The regions of Italy are the first-level administrative divisions of the state, constituting its first NUTS administrative level. There are twenty regions, of which five are constitutionally given a broader amount of autonomy granted by special statutes....
of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The province has an area of 7400 square kilometres (2,857 sq mi) and a total population of more than 500,000 inhabitants. Its capital is the city of Bolzano (German: Bozen; Ladin: Balsan or Bulsan).
The majority of the population speak German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
. Around a quarter of the population speak Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, and a small minority have Ladin
Ladin
Ladin is a language consisting of a group of dialects spoken in the Dolomite Mountains in Northern Italy in the border regions of the provinces Trentino, South Tyrol and Belluno...
as their mother language.
South Tyrol is granted a considerable level of self-government, consisting of a large range of exclusive legislative powers and a fiscal regime that allows the province to retain 90% of all levied taxes.
In the wider context of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, the province is one of the three members of the Euroregion
Euroregion
In European politics, the term Euroregion usually refers to a transnational co-operation structure between two contiguous territories located in different European countries. Euroregions represent a specific type of cross-border region.-Scope:...
of Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino, which corresponds almost exactly to the historical region of Tyrol
County of Tyrol
The County of Tyrol, Princely County from 1504, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1814 a province of the Austrian Empire and from 1867 a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary...
.
Name
South Tyrol (occasionally South Tirol) is the term most commonly used in English for the province, and its usage reflects that it was created from a portion of the southern part of the historic County of TyrolCounty of Tyrol
The County of Tyrol, Princely County from 1504, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1814 a province of the Austrian Empire and from 1867 a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary...
. German and Ladin speakers usually refer to the area as Südtirol; the Italian equivalent Sudtirolo (sometimes spelled Sud Tirolo) is getting increasingly common.
Alto Adige (English: "Upper Adige"), one of the Italian names for the province, is also used in English. The term had been the name of political subdivisions along the Adige River
Adige
The Adige is a river with its source in the Alpine province of South Tyrol near the Italian border with Austria and Switzerland. At in length, it is the second longest river in Italy, after the River Po with ....
in the time of Napoleon Bonaparte, who created the Department of Alto Adige
Department of Alto Adige
The Department of Alto Adige was a northern department of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy. The name previously had been used for a district of the Cisalpine Republic...
. It was reused as the Italian name of the current province after its post-World War I creation, and was a symbol of the subsequent forced Italianization
Italianization
Italianization or Italianisation is a term used to describe a process of cultural assimilation in which ethnically non or partially Italian people or territory become Italian. The process can be voluntary or forced...
of South Tyrol.
The official name of the province today in German is Autonome Provinz Bozen — Südtirol. German speakers usually refer to it not as a Provinz, but as a Land (such as the Länder
Länder
Länder or Bundesländer may refer to:* States of Germany, the 16 federal subdivisions of Germany* States of Austria, the 9 federal subdivisions of Austria...
of either Germany or Austria). Provincial institutions are referred to using the prefix Landes-, such as Landesregierung (state government) or Landeshauptmann
Landeshauptmann
Landeshauptmann is a former German gubernatorial title equivalent to that of a governor of a province or a state....
(governor).
The official name in Italian is Provincia autonoma di Bolzano — Alto Adige, in Ladin Provinzia autonoma de Balsan/Bulsan — Südtirol.
Italian annexation of 1919
South Tyrol is an administrative entity whose origins go back to World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. In 1915, the Entente
Allies of World War I
The Entente Powers were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. The members of the Triple Entente were the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire; Italy entered the war on their side in 1915...
promised the area to Italy in London as an incentive to enter the war on their side. Until 1918 part of the Austro-Hungarian Princely County of Tyrol
County of Tyrol
The County of Tyrol, Princely County from 1504, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1814 a province of the Austrian Empire and from 1867 a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary...
, this almost completely German-speaking territory was occupied by Italy at the end of the war in November 1918 and was annexed in 1919. The province as it exists today was created in 1926 after an administrative reorganization of the Kingdom of Italy
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
and was incorporated together with the province of Trent into the newly created region Venezia Tridentina.
Under the fascist government, huge efforts were made to bring forward the Italianization of South Tyrol
Italianization of South Tyrol
In 1919, at the time of its annexation, the southern part of Tyrol was inhabited by almost 90% German speakers. Under the 1939 South Tyrol Option Agreement, Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini determined the status of the German people living in the province...
. The German language was banished from public service, German teaching was officially forbidden and German newspapers were censored with the exception of the fascist Alpenzeitung. The regime massively favoured immigration from other Italian regions.
The subsequent alliance between Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
and Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
declared that South Tyrol would not follow the destiny of Austria, which had been annexed to the Third Reich. Instead the dictators agreed that the German-speaking population be transferred to German-ruled territory or dispersed around Italy, but the outbreak of the Second World War prevented them from fully carrying out their relocation.
In 1943, when the Italian government signed an armistice with the Allies, the region was occupied by Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, which reorganised it as the Operation Zone of the Alpine Foothills and put it under the administration of Gauleiter
Gauleiter
A Gauleiter was the party leader of a regional branch of the NSDAP or the head of a Gau or of a Reichsgau.-Creation and Early Usage:...
Franz Hofer
Franz Hofer
Franz Hofer was, in the time of the Third Reich, the Nazi Gauleiter of the Tyrol and Vorarlberg....
. The region was de facto annexed to the German Reich (with the addition of the province of Belluno
Province of Belluno
TheThe Province of Belluno is a province in the Veneto region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Belluno.It has an area of 3,678 km², and a total population of 214,026 .-Geography:...
) until the end of the war. This status ended along with the Nazi regime, and Italian rule was restored in 1945.
Gruber-De Gasperi Agreement
After the war the Allies decided that the province would remain a part of Italy, under the condition that the German-speaking population be granted an important level of self-government. Italy and Austria negotiated an agreement in 1946, recognizing the rights of the German minority. Alcide De GasperiAlcide De Gasperi
Alcide De Gasperi was an Italian statesman and politician and founder of the Christian Democratic Party. From 1945 to 1953 he was the prime minister of eight successive coalition governments. His eight-year rule remains a landmark of political longevity for a leader in modern Italian politics...
, Italy's prime minister, a native of Trentino, wanted to extend the autonomy to his fellow citizens. This led to the creation of the region called Trentino-Alto Adige/Tiroler Etschland. The Gruber-De Gasperi Agreement
Gruber-De Gasperi Agreement
The Gruber-De Gasperi Agreement, named after the foreign ministers of Austria and Italy , of September 1946, allowed Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol to remain part of Italy, but ensured its autonomy....
was signed by the Italian and Austrian Foreign Ministers, creating the autonomous region of Trentino-South Tyrol, consisting of the autonomous provinces of Trentino and South Tyrol. German and Italian were both made official languages, and German-language education was permitted once more. However, as the Italians were the majority in the combined region, the self-government of the German minority became impossible.
This, together with the arrival of new Italian-speaking immigrants, led to strong dissatisfaction among South Tyroleans, which culminated in terrorist acts perpetrated by the Befreiungsausschuss Südtirol (BAS — Committee for the Liberation of South Tyrol). In a first phase only public edifices and fascist monuments were targeted. The second phase was bloodier, costing 21 lives (15 members of Italian uniformed services, 2 civilians and 4 terrorists).
Südtirolfrage
The South Tyrolean question (Südtirolfrage) became an international issue. As the implementation of the post-war agreement was not seen as satisfactory by the Austrian government, it became a cause of significant friction with Italy and was taken up by the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in 1960. A fresh round of negotiations took place in 1961 but proved unsuccessful, partly because of the campaign of terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
.
The issue was resolved in 1971, when a new Austro-Italian treaty was signed and ratified. It stipulated that disputes in South Tyrol would be submitted for settlement to the International Court of Justice
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. It is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands...
in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, that the province would receive greater autonomy within Italy, and that Austria would not interfere in South Tyrol's internal affairs. The new agreement proved broadly satisfactory to the parties involved and the separatist tensions soon eased.
The new autonomous status, granted from 1972 onwards, has resulted in a considerable level of self-government, also due to the large financial resources of South Tyrol, retaining almost 90% of all levied taxes.
Autonomy
Since the new statute of autonomy came into force, the province has undergone considerable development and is nowadays one of the richest regions in Italy.
The extensive self-government provided by the current institutional framework has been advanced as a model for settling interethnic disputes and for the successful protection of linguistic minorities. This is among the reasons why the Ladin municipalities of Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo is a town and comune in the southern Alps located in Veneto, a region in Northern Italy. Located in the heart of the Dolomites in an alpine valley, it is a popular winter sport resort known for its ski-ranges, scenery, accommodations, shops and après-ski scene...
/Anpezo, Livinallongo del Col di Lana
Livinallongo del Col di Lana
Livinallongo del Col di Lana is a comune in the Province of Belluno in the Italian region Veneto, located about 120 km north of Venice and about 45 km northwest of Belluno....
/Fodom and Colle Santa Lucia
Colle Santa Lucia
Colle Santa Lucia is a comune in the Province of Belluno in the Italian region Veneto, located about 120 km north of Venice and about 40 km northwest of Belluno...
/Col have asked in a referendum to be detached from Veneto and reannexed to the province, from which they were separated under the fascist government.
Euroregion
Euroregion Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino
[Image:Tirol-Suedtirol-Trentino.png|thumb|Detailed map of the Euroregion, formed by the Austrian state of Tyrol and the Italian autonomous provinces of South Tyrol and Trentino.----...
was formed between the Austrian state of Tyrol and the Italian provinces of South Tyrol and Trentino. The boundaries of the association correspond to the old County of Tyrol. The aim is to promote regional peace, understanding and cooperation in many areas. The region's assemblies meet together as one on various occasions and have set up a common liaison office to the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
in Brussels.
Geography
Tyrol (state)
Tyrol is a state or Bundesland, located in the west of Austria. It comprises the Austrian part of the historical region of Tyrol.The state is split into two parts–called North Tyrol and East Tyrol–by a -wide strip of land where the state of Salzburg borders directly on the Italian province of...
and Salzburg
Salzburg (state)
Salzburg is a state or Land of Austria with an area of 7,156 km2, located adjacent to the German border. It is also known as Salzburgerland, to distinguish it from its capital city, also named Salzburg...
, and by the Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
canton of Graubünden
Graubünden
Graubünden or Grisons is the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. The canton shares borders with the cantons of Ticino, Uri, Glarus and St. Gallen and international borders with Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein...
to the west. The Italian provinces of Trento, Belluno
Province of Belluno
TheThe Province of Belluno is a province in the Veneto region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Belluno.It has an area of 3,678 km², and a total population of 214,026 .-Geography:...
, and Sondrio
Province of Sondrio
The Province of Sondrio is in the Lombardy region of Italy. Its capital is the town of Sondrio.It has an area of 3,212 km², and a total population of 176,856...
border to the southeast, south, and southwest, respectively.
The landscape itself is mostly cultivated with different types of shrubs and forests and is highly mountainous.
Entirely located in the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
, the province's landscape is dominated by mountains. The highest peak is the Ortler
Ortler
Ortler is, at above sea level, the highest mountain in the Eastern Alps outside the Bernina Range. It is the main peak of the Ortler Range. It is the highest point of the Southern Limestone Alps, of the Italian province of South Tyrol, of Tyrol overall, and, until 1919, of the Austrian-Hungarian...
(3,905 m) in the far west, which is also the highest peak in the Eastern Alps
Eastern Alps
Eastern Alps is the name given to the eastern half of the Alps, usually defined as the area east of the Splügen Pass in eastern Switzerland. North of the Splügen Pass, the Posterior Rhine forms the border, and south of the pass, the Liro river and Lake Como form the boundary line.-Geography:The...
outside the Bernina range. Even more famous are the craggy peaks of the Dolomites
Dolomites
The Dolomites are a mountain range located in north-eastern Italy. It is a part of Southern Limestone Alps and extends from the River Adige in the west to the Piave Valley in the east. The northern and southern borders are defined by the Puster Valley and the Sugana Valley...
in the eastern part of the region.
The following mountain groups are (partially) in South Tyrol. All but the Sarntal Alps are on the border with Austria, Switzerland, or other Italian provinces. The ranges are clockwise from the west and for each the highest peak is given that is within the province or on its border.
| Name | Highest peak (German/Italian) | metres | feet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ortler Alps Ortler Alps The Ortler Alps are a mountain range in the central Alps of Italy. They are considered to be part of the Central Eastern Alps or the Southern Limestone Alps.... |
Ortler/Ortles Ortler Ortler is, at above sea level, the highest mountain in the Eastern Alps outside the Bernina Range. It is the main peak of the Ortler Range. It is the highest point of the Southern Limestone Alps, of the Italian province of South Tyrol, of Tyrol overall, and, until 1919, of the Austrian-Hungarian... |
3,905 | 12,811 |
| Sesvenna Range Sesvenna Range The Sesvenna Range is a mountain range in the Alps of eastern Switzerland, northern Italy and western Austria. It is considered to be part of the Central Eastern Alps.... |
Muntpitschen/Monpiccio | 3,162 | 10,374 |
| Ötztal Alps Ötztal Alps The Ötztal Alps are a mountain range in the central Alps of Europe, part of the Central Eastern Alps. They are arrayed at the head of the Ötztal, a side valley of the Inn River southwest of Innsbruck, Austria; the line of summits forms part of Austria's border with Italy.The western border is the... |
Weißkugel/Palla Bianca Weißkugel Weißkugel is the second highest mountain in the Ötztal Alps and the third highest mountain in Austria. Featuring many glaciers, it lies on the border between Austria and Italy. The easiest way to climb it is over its southern side. It was first climbed in 1850 by J.A... |
3,746 | 12,291 |
| Stubai Alps Stubai Alps The Stubai Alps is a mountain range in the Central Eastern Alps of Europe. It is named after the Stubaital valley to its east. It is located southwest of Innsbruck, Austria, and several summits of the range form part of Austria's border with Italy... |
Wilder Freiger/Cima Libera Wilder Freiger The Wilder Freiger is a mountain in the Stubai Alps on the border between Tyrol, Austria, and South Tyrol, Italy.... |
3,426 | 11,241 |
| Sarntal Alps Sarntal Alps The Sarntal Alps are a mountain range in South Tyrol, Italy.... |
Hirzer/Punta Cervina | 2,781 | 9,124 |
| Zillertal Alps Zillertal Alps The Zillertal Alps are a mountain range of the Central Eastern Alps on the border of Austria and Italy. The range is named after the Zillertal on its north.... |
Hochfeiler/Gran Pilastro Hochfeiler The Hochfeiler is a mountain in the Zillertal Alps on the border between Tyrol, Austria, and South Tyrol, Italy.- References :* Heinrich Klier, Walter Klier: Alpenvereinsführer Zillertaler Alpen, Rother Verlag München , ISBN 3-7633-1269-2... |
3,510 | 11,515 |
| Hohe Tauern Hohe Tauern The Hohe Tauern or High Tauern are a mountain range on the main chain of the Central Eastern Alps, comprising the highest peaks east of the Brenner Pass. The crest forms the southern border of the Austrian state of Salzburg with Carinthia and East Tyrol, while a small part in the southwest belongs... |
Dreiherrnspitze/Picco dei Tre Signori Dreiherrnspitze The Dreiherrnspitze is a mountain on the border between Salzburg, Tyrol, both Austria, and South Tyrol, Italy.- References :*Willi End: Alpenvereinsführer Venedigergruppe, München 2006, ISBN 3-7633-1242-0... |
3,499 | 11,480 |
| Eastern Dolomites Dolomites The Dolomites are a mountain range located in north-eastern Italy. It is a part of Southern Limestone Alps and extends from the River Adige in the west to the Piave Valley in the east. The northern and southern borders are defined by the Puster Valley and the Sugana Valley... |
Dreischusterspitze/Punta Tre Scarperi | 3,152 | 10,341 |
| Western Dolomites | Langkofel/Sassolungo Langkofel The Langkofel is a mountain in the Dolomites in South Tyrol, Italy.... |
3,181 | 10,436 |
Located in between the mountains are a large number of valleys
Valleys of South Tyrol
This is a partial list of valleys of South Tyrol, a mountainous province in northern Italy, bordering Austria and Switzerland. Most valleys have two names, a German and an Italian one. Those in the Ladin-speaking areas have three names....
, which is where the majority of the population lives.
Administrative divisions
The province is divided into eight districts (German: Bezirksgemeinschaften, Italian: comunità comprensoriali), one of them being the chief city of Bolzano. Each district is headed by a president and two bodies called the district committee and the district council. The districts are responsible for intermunicipal disputes, roads, schools and social services such as retirement homes.The province is further divided into 116 Gemeinden
Gemeinde
Gemeinde is a German word for borough, commune, community, township, municipality, or in religious contexts, a parish or congregation ....
or comuni
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
.
Districts
| District (German/Italian) | Capital (German/Italian) | Area | Inhabitants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozen/Bolzano | Bozen/Bolzano | 52 km² | 103,135 |
| Burggrafenamt/Burgraviato Burggrafenamt The Burggrafenamt is a district in the western part of the Italian province of South Tyrol. It comprises the part of the Adige river valley between Naturns and Bolzano, and its side valleys Passeier Valley and Ulten Valley.... |
Meran/Merano | 1,101 km² | 97,315 |
| Pustertal/Val Pusteria | Bruneck/Brunico Bruneck Bruneck is the largest town in the Puster Valley in the Italian province of South Tyrol. Bruneck lies at the confluence of the Ahr with the Rienz Bruneck is the largest town in the Puster Valley in the Italian province of South Tyrol. Bruneck lies at the confluence of the Ahr with the Rienz... |
2,071 km² | 79,086 |
| Überetsch-Unterland/Oltradige-Bassa Atesina Überetsch-Unterland Überetsch-Unterland is a district in the southern part of the Italian province of South Tyrol. It comprises the valley of the Adige river from Bolzano in the north to Salorno in the south.... |
Neumarkt/Egna | 424 km² | 71,435 |
| Eisacktal/Valle Isarco Eisacktal Eisack Valley is a district in South Tyrol, Italy. It comprises the middle part of the valley of the Eisack, from Franzensfeste in the north to Waidbruck in the south.... |
Brixen/Bressanone Brixen Brixen is the name of two cities in the Alps:*Brixen, South Tyrol, Italy*Brixen im Thale, Tyrol, AustriaBrixen may also refer to:*Bishopric of Brixen, the former north-Italian state.... |
624 km² | 49,840 |
| Salten-Schlern/Salto-Sciliar Salten-Schlern Salten-Schlern is a district in South Tyrol, Italy. It comprises the lower part of the valley of the Eisack River, from Waidbruck to Bolzano. It is named after the Salten plaeau and the mountain Schlern... |
Bozen/Bolzano | 1,037 km² | 48,020 |
| Vinschgau/Val Venosta | Schlanders/Silandro Schlanders Schlanders is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 70 km northwest of the city of Trento and about 50 km west of the city of Bolzano .... |
1,442 km² | 19,124 |
| Wipptal/Alta Valle Isarco Wipptal The Wipptal is a valley extending along the Sill River southward from Innsbruck, Tyrol, Austria, where the Sill meets the larger Inn river, up to the Brenner Pass at the Austro-Italian border, one of the lowest passes across the Central Eastern Alps... |
Sterzing/Vipiteno Sterzing Sterzing is a comune in South Tyrol in the region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, Italy. It is the main village of the southern Wipptal, and the Eisack River flows through the medieval town.-Origin:... |
650 km² | 18,220 |
Largest municipalities
| German name | Italian name | Ladin name | Inhabitants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozen | Bolzano | Balsan, Bulsan | 103,135 |
| Meran | Merano | Maran | 37,673 |
| Brixen Brixen Brixen is the name of two cities in the Alps:*Brixen, South Tyrol, Italy*Brixen im Thale, Tyrol, AustriaBrixen may also refer to:*Bishopric of Brixen, the former north-Italian state.... |
Bressanone | Persenon, Porsenù | 20,512 |
| Leifers | Laives Laives Laives is a town and a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 45 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 8 km south of the city of Bolzano.-Coat-of-arms:... |
16,964 | |
| Bruneck Bruneck Bruneck is the largest town in the Puster Valley in the Italian province of South Tyrol. Bruneck lies at the confluence of the Ahr with the Rienz Bruneck is the largest town in the Puster Valley in the Italian province of South Tyrol. Bruneck lies at the confluence of the Ahr with the Rienz... |
Brunico | Bornech, Burnech | 15,370 |
| Eppan an der Weinstraße Eppan an der Weinstraße Eppan an der Weinstraße is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 45 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 8 km southwest of the city of Bolzano.-Geography:... |
Appiano sulla Strada del Vino | 14,013 | |
| Lana | Lana | 11,120 | |
| Kaltern an der Weinstraße Kaltern an der Weinstraße Kaltern an der Weinstraße is a municipality in South Tyrol, in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It is located about 40 km north of the city of Trento and about 12 km southwest of the city of Bolzano.... |
Caldaro sulla Strada del Vino | 7,512 | |
| Ritten Ritten Ritten is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.-Territory:The 111 km² community is named after the high plateau , the Ritten or the Renon, on which most of the villages are located... |
Renon | 7,507 | |
| Sarntal Sarntal Sarntal is a valley and a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 70 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 15 km north of the city of Bolzano.... |
Sarentino | 6,863 | |
| Kastelruth Kastelruth Kastelruth is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 70 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 20 km northeast of the city of Bolzano .... |
Castelrotto | Ciastel | 6,456 |
| Sterzing Sterzing Sterzing is a comune in South Tyrol in the region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, Italy. It is the main village of the southern Wipptal, and the Eisack River flows through the medieval town.-Origin:... |
Vipiteno | 6,306 | |
| Schlanders Schlanders Schlanders is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 70 km northwest of the city of Trento and about 50 km west of the city of Bolzano .... |
Silandro | 6,014 | |
| Ahrntal Ahrntal Ahrntal is a Gemeinde and valley in South Tyrol in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.-Geography:The municipality lies about 120 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 70 km northeast of the city of Bolzano, on the border with Austria... |
Valle Aurina | 5,876 | |
| Naturns Naturns Naturns is a comune in the province of South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 70 km north of the city of Trento and about 40 km northwest of the city of Bolzano.-Geography:... |
Naturno | 5,440 | |
| Sand in Taufers Sand in Taufers Sand in Taufers is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 110 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 70 km northeast of the city of Bolzano, on the border with Austria.... |
Campo Tures | 5,230 | |
| Latsch Latsch Latsch is a comune in the province of South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about northwest of the city of Trento and about northwest of the city of Bolzano.-Geography:... |
Laces | 5,145 | |
| Klausen | Chiusa | Tluses, Tlüses | 5,134 |
| Mals Mals Mals is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 80 km northwest of Trento and about 70 km northwest of Bolzano, on the border with Switzerland and Austria.-Geography:... |
Malles | 5,050 | |
| Neumarkt | Egna | 4,926 | |
| Algund Algund Algund is a Gemeinde in South Tyrol in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 70 km north of Trento and about 25 km northwest of Bolzano.-Geography:... |
Lagundo | 4,782 | |
| St.Ulrich | Ortisei | Urtijëi Urtijëi Urtijëi is a town of 4,637 inhabitants in South Tyrol, in the Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It occupies the Val Gardena within the Dolomites, a mountain chain that is part of the Alps... |
4,606 |
| Ratschings Ratschings Ratschings is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 90 km north of the city of Trento and about 45 km north of the city of Bolzano , on the border with Austria.-Geography:... |
Racines | 4,331 | |
| Terlan Terlan Terlan is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 50 km north of the city of Trento and about 9 km northwest of the city of Bolzano.-Geography:... |
Terlano | 4,132 |
Climate
The Etsch valley area, with cold winters (24-h averages in January of about 0°C) and warm summers (24-h averages in July of about 23°C), usually classified as Humid subtropical climate
Humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
— Cfa. It is the driest and sunniest climate of the province. The main city in this area is Bolzano.
The midlands between 300 and 900 metres, with cold winters (24-h averages in January between -3°C and 1°C) and mild summers (24-h averages in July between 15°C and 21°C); This is a typical Oceanic climate
Oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also called marine west coast climate, maritime climate, Cascadian climate and British climate for Köppen climate classification Cfb and subtropical highland for Köppen Cfb or Cwb, is a type of climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of some of the...
, classified as Cfb. It is usually wetter than the subtropical climate, and very snowy during the winters. During the spring and autumn, there is a large foggy season, but fog may occur even on summer mornings. Main towns in this area are Merano, Bruneck
Bruneck
Bruneck is the largest town in the Puster Valley in the Italian province of South Tyrol. Bruneck lies at the confluence of the Ahr with the Rienz Bruneck is the largest town in the Puster Valley in the Italian province of South Tyrol. Bruneck lies at the confluence of the Ahr with the Rienz...
, Sterzing
Sterzing
Sterzing is a comune in South Tyrol in the region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, Italy. It is the main village of the southern Wipptal, and the Eisack River flows through the medieval town.-Origin:...
, Brixen
Brixen
Brixen is the name of two cities in the Alps:*Brixen, South Tyrol, Italy*Brixen im Thale, Tyrol, AustriaBrixen may also refer to:*Bishopric of Brixen, the former north-Italian state....
. Near the lakes in higher lands (between 1000 and 1400 meters) the humidity may make the climate in these regions milder during winter, but also cooler in summer, then, a Subpolar oceanic climate, Cfc, may occur.
The alpine valleys between 900 and 1400 metres, with a typically Humid continental climate
Humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
— Dfb, covering the largest part of the province. The winters are usually very cold (24-h averages in January between -8°C and -3°C), and the summers, mild with averages between 14 and 19°C. It is a very snowy climate; snow may occur from early October to April or even May. Main municipalities in this area are Urtijëi
Urtijëi
Urtijëi is a town of 4,637 inhabitants in South Tyrol, in the Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It occupies the Val Gardena within the Dolomites, a mountain chain that is part of the Alps...
, Badia, Sexten
Sexten
Sexten is a comune in South Tyrol, in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region of north-east Italy. The town is famous as a summer and winter sport resort and the mountains.-Geography:...
, Toblach
Toblach
Toblach is a comune/Gemeinde in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located in the Puster Valley about 110 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 70 km northeast of the city of Bolzano, on the border with Austria.As of November 30, 2010, it had a...
, Stilfs
Stilfs
Stilfs is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It is located near the northern ramp of the Stelvio Pass....
, Vöran, Mühlwald
Mühlwald
Mühlwald is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 110 km northeast of Trento and about 60 km northeast of Bolzano , on the border with Austria.-Geography:...
.
The alpine valleys between 1400 and 1700 metres, with a Subarctic climate
Subarctic climate
The subarctic climate is a climate characterized by long, usually very cold winters, and short, cool to mild summers. It is found on large landmasses, away from the moderating effects of an ocean, generally at latitudes from 50° to 70°N poleward of the humid continental climates...
— Dfc, with harsh winters (24-h averages in January between -9°C and -5°C) and cool, short, rainy and foggy summers (24-h averages in July of about 12°C). These areas usually have five months below the freezing point, and snow sometimes occurs even during the summer, in September. This climate is the wettest of the province, with large rainfalls during the summer, heavy snowfalls during spring and fall. The winter is usually a little drier, marked by freezing and dry weeks, although not sufficiently dry to be classified as a Dwc climate. Main municipalities in this area are Corvara, Sëlva
Sëlva
Sëlva is a comune in the Val Gardena in South Tyrol, northern Italy, located about 70 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 30 km east of the city of Bolzano.-Geography:...
, Santa Cristina Gherdëina.
The highlands above 1700 meters, with an alpine tundra climate
Alpine climate
Alpine climate is the average weather for a region above the tree line. This climate is also referred to as mountain climate or highland climate....
, ET, which becomes an Ice Cap Climate, EF above 3000 meters. The winters are cold, but sometimes not as cold as the higher valleys' winters. In January, most of the areas at 2000 meters have an average temperature of about -5°C, while in the valleys at about 1600 meters, the mean temperature may be as low as -8 or -9°C. The higher lands, above 3000 meters are usually extremely cold, with averages of about -14°C during the coldest month, January.
Politics
The local government system is based upon the provisions of the Italian ConstitutionConstitution of Italy
The Constitution of the Italian Republic was enacted by the Constituent Assembly on 22 December 1947, with 453 votes in favour and 62 against. The text, which has since been amended 13 times, was promulgated in the extraordinary edition of Gazzetta Ufficiale No. 298 on 27 December 1947...
and the Autonomy Statute of the Region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The 1972 second Statute of Autonomy for Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol devolved
Devolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
most legislative and executive competences from the regional level to the provincial level, creating de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
two separate regions.
The considerable legislative power
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
of the province is vested in an assembly (German: Südtiroler Landtag; Italian: Consiglio della Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano; Ladin: Cunsëi dla Provinzia Autonoma de Bulsan).
The legislative powers of the assembly cover all those subject matters that are not expressly reserved to the exclusive legislative power of the Italian State or to concurrent legislation per article 117 of the Italian Constitution.
The executive powers are attributed to the government
Government of South Tyrol
The Government of South Tyrol The Government of South Tyrol The Government of South Tyrol ( is responsible for the governance of the autonomous province of South Tyrol.The government is headed by a governor . This position has been held by Luis Durnwalder since 1989....
(German: Landesregierung; Italian: Giunta Provinciale) headed by the Landeshauptmann
Landeshauptmann
Landeshauptmann is a former German gubernatorial title equivalent to that of a governor of a province or a state....
Luis Durnwalder
Luis Durnwalder
Luis Durnwalder is a politician of Italy, governor of the multilingual autonomous province of South Tyrol, and vice-president of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, in Northern Italy.- Biography :Durnwalder was born in Pfalzen...
, who has been in power since 1989. He belongs to the South Tyrolean People's Party, which has been governing with absolute majority since 1948.
|
List of governors
- Karl Erckert (SVP), 20 December 1948 – 15 December 1955
- Alois Pupp (SVP), 7 January 1956 – 31 December 1960
- Silvius Magnago (SVP), 31 December 1960 – 17 March 1989
- Luis Durnwalder (SVP), since 17 March 1989
Economy
In terms of GDP per capita South Tyrol is one of the richest provinces of Italy, with 32,000€.The majority of people are employed in a variety of sectors, from agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
— the province is a large producer of apples, its wines are also renowned — to industry
Industry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
to services, especially tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
. The unemployment level in 2007 was roughly 2.4 % (2.0 % for men and 3.0 % for women).
Transport
The region is, together with northern and eastern Tyrol, an important transit point between southern Germany and Northern ItalyNorthern Italy
Northern Italy is a wide cultural, historical and geographical definition, without any administrative usage, used to indicate the northern part of the Italian state, also referred as Settentrione or Alta Italia...
. Freights by road and rail pass through here. One of the most important highways is the A22
Autostrade of Italy
The Autostrada is the Italian national system of motorways. The total length of the system is about 6,400 km. In North and Central Italy this is mainly as tollways, with the biggest portion in concession to the Atlantia group which operates some 3,408 km...
, also called the Autostrada del Brennero. It connects to the Brenner Autobahn in Austria.
The vehicle registration plate of South Tyrol is the two-letter provincial code Bz for the capital city. Along with the autonomous Trentino (Tn) and Aosta Valley (Ao), South Tyrol is allowed to surmount its license plates with its coat of arms.
Rail transport goes over the Brenner Pass
Brenner Pass
- Roadways :The motorway E45 leading from Innsbruck via Bolzano to Verona and Modena uses this pass, and is one of the most important north-south connections in Europe...
. The Brenner Railway
Brenner railway
The Brenner Railway is a major line connecting the Austrian and Italian railways from Innsbruck and Verona climbing the Wipptal , passing over the Brenner Pass and descending down the Eisack Valley to Bolzano and then down the Adige Valley from Bolzano to Rovereto and from there along the...
is a major line connecting the Austrian
Rail transport in Austria
Rail transport in Austria is mainly owned by the national rail company ÖBB. The railway network consists of 6,123 km, its gauge is 1,435 mm and 3,523 km are electrified....
and Italian railways
Rail transport in Italy
The Italian railway system is one of the most important infrastructure in the country, with a total length of . The network is recently growing with the construction of the new high speed rail network....
from Innsbruck
Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof
is the Hauptbahnhof at Innsbruck, the capital city of the Austrian federal state of Tyrol. Opened in 1853, it is one of the country's busiest railway stations, with around 25,000 passenger movements daily....
and Verona
Verona Porta Nuova railway station
Verona Porta Nuova is the main railway station of the Italian city of Verona near the city centre in the square of Piazzale 25 Aprile. It was originally opened in 1852, but was substantially rebuilt between 1910 and 1922. It was rebuilt again between 1946 and 1949 after being largely destroyed by...
climbing the Wipptal
Wipptal
The Wipptal is a valley extending along the Sill River southward from Innsbruck, Tyrol, Austria, where the Sill meets the larger Inn river, up to the Brenner Pass at the Austro-Italian border, one of the lowest passes across the Central Eastern Alps...
, passing over the Brenner Pass and descending down the Eisack Valley
Eisacktal
Eisack Valley is a district in South Tyrol, Italy. It comprises the middle part of the valley of the Eisack, from Franzensfeste in the north to Waidbruck in the south....
to Bolzano and then down the Adige Valley from Bolzano to Rovereto and to Verona. The line is part of the Line 1
Berlin–Palermo railway axis
The Berlin-Palermo railway axis is Line 1 of the Trans-European Transport Networks ,which involves the creation of a 2,200 km-long high-speed rail line between Berlin and Palermo.-Germany:...
of Trans-European Transport Networks
Trans-European Transport Networks
The Trans-European Transport Networks are a planned set of road, rail, air and water transport networks designed to serve the entire continent of Europe. The TEN-T networks are part of a wider system of Trans-European Networks , including a telecommunications network and a proposed energy network...
(TEN-T).
Other railways are the Pustertalbahn, Ritten Railway and Vinschgaubahn. Due to the steep slopes of the mountains, a number of funicular
Funicular
A funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope; the ascending and descending vehicles counterbalance each other.-Operation:The basic principle of funicular...
s exist, such as the Gardena Ronda Express funicular
Gardena Ronda Express funicular
The Gardena Ronda Express is a funicular situated in the Val Gherdëina near Santa Cristina Gherdëina, connecting the Col Raiser lifts to the Sasslong/Ruacia and Ciampinoi lifts.- Trains :...
and Mendel Funicular.
The Brenner Base Tunnel
Brenner Base Tunnel
The Brenner Base Tunnel is a planned long railway tunnel through the base of the Brenner massif. It will run from Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof in Austria to Franzensfeste in Italy, replacing part of the current Brenner railway...
is under construction and slated to be completed by 2020. It will have a length of 55 km and will become the world's second longest railway tunnel after the Gotthard Base Tunnel
Gotthard Base Tunnel
The Gotthard Base Tunnel is a new railway tunnel beneath the Swiss Alps, expected to open in 2016. With a route length of and a total of of tunnels, shafts and passages, it is the world's longest rail tunnel, surpassing the Japanese Seikan Tunnel....
. This tunnel will considerably reduce travel time by hours.
Larger cities used to have their own tramway system, such as the Meran Tramway and Bolzano Tramway. These were replaced after the Second World War with buses. Many other cities and municipalities have their own bus system or are connected with each other by it.
The Bolzano Airport
Bolzano Airport
Bolzano Airport is a small regional airport situated very close to the centre of the city of Bolzano in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region in Northeast Italy. The main destinations are domestic flights to Rome with various charter flights from destinations in Europe during the winter months...
is the only airport serving the region.
Languages
- Further information: Linguistic and demographic history of South Tyrol
Austro-Bavarian
Bavarian , also Austro-Bavarian, is a major group of Upper German varieties spoken in the south east of the German language area.-History and origin:...
dialects of the German language.
Every citizen has the right to use his own mother tongue, even at court. Schools are separated for each language group.
All traffic signs are bi- or trilingual. Only panels in railway stations run by the province are sometimes monolingual (German). Most Italian toponyms are translations performed by Ettore Tolomei
Ettore Tolomei
Ettore Tolomei was an Italian nationalist and fascist. He was designated a Member of the Italian Senate in 1923, and ennobled in 1937.- Pre-World War I activism :...
, the author of the Prontuario dei nomi locali dell'Alto Adige
Prontuario dei nomi locali dell'Alto Adige
The Prontuario dei nomi locali dell'Alto Adige is a list of Italianized toponyms for mostly German place names in South Tyrol which was published in 1916 by the Royal Italian Geographic Society...
.
In order to reach a fair allocation of jobs in public service a system called ethnic proportion (Ita. proporzionale etnica, Ger. ethnischer Proporz) has been established. Every ten years, when the general census of population takes place, each citizen has to declare to which linguistic group they belong or want to be aggregated to. According to the results they decide how many people of which group are going to be hired for public service.
At the time of the annexation of the southern part of Tyrol
County of Tyrol
The County of Tyrol, Princely County from 1504, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1814 a province of the Austrian Empire and from 1867 a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary...
by Italy in 1919, the overwhelming majority of the population spoke German: In 1910, according to the last population census before World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the German-speaking population numbered 224,000, the Ladin 9,000 and the Italian 7,000.
As a result of the italianization of South Tyrol nowadays about 25% of the population are Italian-speakers (they were roughly 35% in the 1960s). According to the census of 2001, 103 out of 116 comuni have a majority of German native speakers — with Sankt Pankraz
St. Pankraz
Sankt Pankraz is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about north of the city of Trento and about northwest of the city of Bolzano/Bozen.-Geography:...
reaching 99.81% — 8 Ladin and 5 Italian speakers. The Italian-speaking population is mainly based around the city of Bolzano, where they are the majority (73% of the inhabitants), and is a direct result of Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
's policy of Italianisation after he took power in 1922, when he encouraged immigration from the rest of Italy. The other four comuni where the Italian-speaking population is the majority are Laives
Laives
Laives is a town and a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 45 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 8 km south of the city of Bolzano.-Coat-of-arms:...
, Salorno
Salorno
Salorno is the southernmost comune of the Überetsch-Unterland district in South Tyrol, in the Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.-Geography:As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 3,160 and an area of 33.2 km²....
, Bronzolo
Bronzolo
Bronzolo is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 40 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 11 km south of the city of Bolzano....
and Vadena
Vadena
Vadena is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 40 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 10 km southwest of the city of Bolzano.-Geography:...
. The eight comuni with Ladin
Ladin
Ladin is a language consisting of a group of dialects spoken in the Dolomite Mountains in Northern Italy in the border regions of the provinces Trentino, South Tyrol and Belluno...
majorities are: La Val
La Val
La Val is a comune in the province of South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 90 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 45 km northeast of the city of Bolzano....
, Badia, Corvara, Mareo
Mareo
Mareo is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 90 km northeast of Trento and about 50 km northeast of Bolzano .-Geography:...
, San Martin de Tor
San Martin de Tor
San Martin de Tor is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 90 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 45 km northeast of the city of Bolzano .-Geography:...
, Santa Cristina Gherdëina, Sëlva
Sëlva
Sëlva is a comune in the Val Gardena in South Tyrol, northern Italy, located about 70 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 30 km east of the city of Bolzano.-Geography:...
, Urtijëi
Urtijëi
Urtijëi is a town of 4,637 inhabitants in South Tyrol, in the Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It occupies the Val Gardena within the Dolomites, a mountain chain that is part of the Alps...
.
The linguistic breakdown according to the census of 2001:
| Language | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| German | 290,774 | 69.15 |
| Italian | 110,206 | 26.47 |
| Ladin | 18,124 | 4.37 |
| Total | 419,104 | 100 |
Architecture
The region features a large number of castles and churches. Many of the castles were built by the local nobility and the Habsburg rulers. See List of castles in South Tyrol.Sports
South Tyrolean athletes are very successful at winter sports. Reinhold MessnerReinhold Messner
Reinhold Messner is an Italian mountaineer and explorer from Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol "whose astonishing feats on Everest and on peaks throughout the world have earned him the status of the greatest climber in history." He is renowned for making the first solo ascent of Mount Everest without...
, widely regarded as the greatest mountain climber of all time, is the first climber to conquer the 14 highest mountains in the world, many of them, including the highest Everest, without the use of Oxygen. Armin Zöggeler
Armin Zöggeler
Armin Zöggeler is a luger and double Olympic champion who is an Italian national. He is one of the most successful men in the sport, nicknamed Il Cannibale , for his notable series of victories, or The Iceblood Champion, for his always cold, rational approach to the races.Zöggeler was born in...
is a famous Italian luge
Luge
A Luge is a small one- or two-person sled on which one sleds supine and feet-first. Steering is done by flexing the sled's runners with the calf of each leg or exerting opposite shoulder pressure to the seat. Racing sleds weigh 21-25 kilograms for singles and 25-30 kilograms for doubles. Luge...
r and double olympic champion. Carolina Kostner
Carolina Kostner
Carolina Kostner is an Italian figure skater. She is a three-time World medalist , a three-time European champion , a three-time Grand Prix Final medalist , the 2003 World Junior bronze medalist, and a six-time Italian Champion.-Personal life:Carolina Kostner was born...
is a talented figure skater. HC Interspar Bolzano-Bozen Foxes are one of Italy's most successful ice hockey teams.