Tirol

Tirol, also Tyrol, is a western Austrian state and historic region in the Alps. It comprises North Tyrol (Nordtirol) and East Tyrol (Osttirol), with Innsbruck as its capital and largest city. The Alps dominate the landscape, including the Karwendel, Stubai, Ötztal and Zillertal ranges, with the Inn River flowing through Innsbruck. The state borders Bavaria (Germany) to the north, the Italian regions Trentino and South Tyrol to the south, and the Austrian states Vorarlberg, Salzburg and Carinthia to the west and east.

Historically Tyrol formed a county in the Holy Roman Empire and later became a crown land of the Habsburg Monarchy. It remained part of Austria through the 19th and early 20th centuries. After World War I, the southern part of Tyrol was ceded to Italy, creating the Italian provinces of South Tyrol and Trentino; the remaining northern and eastern parts continued as the Austrian state of Tyrol.

Economy and culture: Tourism is the main economic activity, with extensive winter sports, hiking and mountaineering. Innsbruck hosted the Winter Olympics in 1964 and 1976. Hydropower and forestry are also important. The population predominantly speaks German; in South Tyrol, Italian and Ladin are official languages. Tyrolean culture features distinctive folk music, costume and cuisine, and the region is noted for its alpine scenery and historic towns such as Innsbruck, with landmarks like the Golden Roof.