Tyrol

Tyrol, or Tirol in German, is a western Austrian federal state consisting of North Tyrol (Nordtirol) and East Tyrol (Osttirol). The capital and largest city is Innsbruck. The population is around 760,000.

Geography and environment: Tyrol lies in the Eastern Alps and encompasses rugged mountain terrain and valleys. The Inn River runs through Innsbruck, and the Brenner Pass is a major alpine crossing linking Austria and Italy. East Tyrol is geographically separated from North Tyrol and borders Italy to the south.

History: The region developed as the County of Tyrol within the Holy Roman Empire and later became a crown land of the Austrian Empire. It was briefly annexed by Bavaria during the Napoleonic era (1809) before being restored to Austria in 1816. After World War I, South Tyrol was ceded to Italy, leaving East Tyrol as part of Austria. Since 1919 Tyrol has existed as an autonomous state within the Austrian Republic, with its own regional government.

Economy and culture: Tourism is the dominant sector, with alpine skiing, mountaineering, and other winter sports driving the economy. Hydroelectric power generation is important, and the Swarovski crystals works in Wattens is a notable local industry. The region is known for Tyrolean culture, including dialect, traditional music, costumes, and regional cuisine.

Notable features: Innsbruck has hosted the Winter Olympics twice (1964 and 1976). Tyrol includes popular ski areas such as the Stubai and Zillertal valleys, and East Tyrol encompasses the Hohe Tauern National Park and the town of Lienz.