Carinthia

Carinthia is the southernmost and least crowded state in Austria, nestled in the beautiful Eastern Alps. It is famous for its stunning mountains and clear lakes, such as Lake Wolayer, which sits high in the mountains near the Plöcken Pass. Most people in Carinthia speak Austrian German, but there is also a small group of people who speak Carinthian Slovene, a South Slavic language.

The main ways people make a living in Carinthia include visiting as tourists, working in electronics and engineering, taking care of forests, and farming. The peaceful landscapes and rich history make Carinthia a special place to explore.

Name

Carinthia is a state in Austria, known for its beautiful mountains and lakes. It stretches about 180 kilometers from east to west and is the fifth-largest state in Austria. Many of its towns and lakes, like Wörther See and Millstätter See, are located in the southeast part called the Klagenfurt Basin.

The area is surrounded by mountain ranges, including the Carnic Alps and the Karawanks. The main river is the Drava, and the region has a climate with warm, wet summers and cold, dry winters. The capital city is Klagenfurt, and other important towns include Villach and Spittal an der Drau.

History

The history of Carinthia goes back to the Paleolithic era. Old stone tools found in a cave near Griffen are over 30,000 years old. Bigger settlements appeared around 3000 BC in places like Lavanttal, Maria Saal, and Villach. We know about ancient farms from Lake Keutschach, which are part of a special group of buildings around the Alps.

About 300 BC, groups of Illyrian and Celtic people joined together in the Kingdom of Noricum, centered around Noreia near Virunum. They were known for making salt and iron and traded with others. Later, the Romans took over Noricum in 15 BC. Roman towns like Teurnia and Villach grew up here. Noricum stayed important for its minerals and farming.

After the Roman Empire weakened, Germanic tribes moved in. In the 5th century AD, the area became part of different kingdoms. Around 600, Slavic tribes came from the east and formed the principality of Carantania along the Drava, Mur, and Sava rivers. The Carantanian rulers were installed at the Prince's Stone near Karnburg.

In 976, the Duchy of Carinthia was created by Emperor Otto II. It grew from a march and became part of the Holy Roman Empire. Over time, parts of it split off, and in 1335, it came under Habsburg rule. After the Habsburg Empire ended in 1918, Carinthia joined German-Austria.

There were disagreements about the southern part of Carinthia after World War I. Some areas with Slovene speakers were claimed by the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (later Yugoslavia). A vote was held in 1920, and most people wanted to stay with Austria. Today, Carinthia works to support both German- and Slovene-speaking people.

Demographics

Most people in Carinthia live in the Klagenfurt Basin, between Villach and Klagenfurt. In 2008, about 9.3% of people in Carinthia had a migration background, which is less than the Austrian average of 17.5%. By 2020, this number grew to 14.5%, still lower than the Austrian average where nearly a quarter of the population has a migration background.

Today, most people in Carinthia speak German. In the southern part of the region, mainly in the areas around Villach-Land, Klagenfurt-Land, and Völkermarkt, some people speak Slovene and are recognized as a special group with their own language rights.

Administrative divisions

Carinthia is divided into ten different districts. Two of these are cities called Klagenfurt and Villach. There are 132 smaller areas called municipalities, some of which are towns and others are smaller market towns.

Statutory cities

• Klagenfurt (licence plate code: K)
• Villach (VI)

Rural districts

• Feldkirchen (FE)
  • Administrative seat: Feldkirchen
  • Municipalities: Albeck • Glanegg • Gnesau • Himmelberg • Ossiach • Reichenau • Sankt Urban • Steindorf am Ossiacher See • Steuerberg
• Hermagor (HE)
  • Administrative seat: Hermagor-Pressegger See
  • Market towns: Kirchbach • Kötschach-Mauthen
  • Municipalities: Dellach • Gitschtal • Lesachtal • Sankt Stefan im Gailtal
• Klagenfurt-Land (KL)
  • Administrative seat: Klagenfurt (not part of the district)
  • Town: Ferlach
  • Market towns: Ebenthal • Feistritz im Rosental • Grafenstein • Magdalensberg • Maria Saal • Moosburg • Poggersdorf • Schiefling am See
  • Municipalities: Keutschach am See • Köttmannsdorf • Krumpendorf • Ludmannsdorf • Maria Rain • Maria Wörth • Pörtschach • Sankt Margareten im Rosental • Techelsberg • Zell
• Sankt Veit an der Glan (SV)
  • Administrative seat: Sankt Veit an der Glan
  • Towns: Althofen • Friesach • Straßburg
  • Market towns: Brückl • Eberstein • Gurk • Guttaring • Hüttenberg • Klein Sankt Paul • Liebenfels • Metnitz • Weitensfeld im Gurktal
  • Municipalities: Deutsch-Griffen • Frauenstein • Glödnitz • Kappel am Krappfeld • Micheldorf • Mölbling • Sankt Georgen am Längsee
• Spittal an der Drau (SP)
  • Administrative seat: Spittal an der Drau
  • Towns: Gmünd • Radenthein
  • Market towns: Greifenburg • Lurnfeld • Millstatt • Oberdrauburg • Obervellach • Rennweg am Katschberg • Sachsenburg • Seeboden • Steinfeld • Winklern
  • Municipalities: Bad Kleinkirchheim • Baldramsdorf • Berg im Drautal • Dellach im Drautal • Flattach • Großkirchheim • Heiligenblut am Großglockner • Irschen • Kleblach-Lind • Krems • Lendorf • Mallnitz • Malta • Mörtschach • Mühldorf • Rangersdorf • Reißeck • Stall • Trebesing • Weissensee
• Villach-Land (VL)
  • Administrative seat: Villach (not part of the district)
  • Market towns: Arnoldstein • Bad Bleiberg • Finkenstein am Faaker See • Nötsch im Gailtal • Paternion • Rosegg • Sankt Jakob im Rosental • Treffen • Velden am Wörther See • Weißenstein
  • Municipalities: Afritz am See • Arriach • Feistritz an der Gail • Feld am See • Ferndorf • Fresach • Hohenthurn • Stockenboi • Wernberg
• Völkermarkt (VK)
  • Administrative seat: Völkermarkt
  • Town: Bleiburg
  • Market towns: Eberndorf • Eisenkappel-Vellach • Feistritz ob Bleiburg • Griffen
  • Municipalities: Diex • Gallizien • Globasnitz • Neuhaus • Ruden • Sankt Kanzian am Klopeiner See • Sittersdorf
• Wolfsberg (WO)
  • Administrative seat: Wolfsberg
  • Towns: Bad Sankt Leonhard im Lavanttal • Sankt Andrä
  • Market towns: Frantschach-Sankt Gertraud • Lavamünd • Reichenfels • Sankt Paul im Lavanttal
  • Municipalities: Preitenegg • Sankt Georgen im Lavanttal

Politics

The state assembly called the Carinthian State Diet is made up of 36 members who are chosen every five years by people who live in Carinthia and are over 16 years old. The most recent election happened on March 5, 2023. The party led by the current governor, Peter Kaiser, won the most votes. In Carinthia, the government is not led by the ÖVP party, unlike in some other parts of Austria.

Economy

The Gross domestic product of Carinthia was 20.9 billion € in 2018. This made up 5.4% of all of Austria's economy. For each person, the money value of goods and services was €33,000, which is 110% of the average for all of Europe in that year.

Transport

Air

The state has an airport called Klagenfurt Airport. It offers direct flights to Vienna and other places in Europe.

Language

German is the official language spoken in this region.

Most people there speak German with a special local way of talking called Southern Austro-Bavarian. In some southern and southeastern parts, a small group of people speak Slovene. However, it's hard to know exactly how many because some choose not to be counted in surveys.

Tourist attractions

Carinthia has many places to visit, including the cities of Klagenfurt and Villach, and old towns like Friesach and Gmünd. You can see beautiful old churches and monasteries such as Gurk Cathedral and Maria Saal, along with exciting castles like Hochosterwitz.

The area is famous for its lovely lakes, such as Wörthersee, Millstätter See, Ossiacher See, and Faaker See. In the winter, people enjoy skiing and other outdoor activities in places like Nassfeld and Bad Kleinkirchheim, as well as exploring the Hohe Tauern and Nock Mountains national parks.

Culture

Carinthia has many interesting customs and traditions. One famous tradition is called Kirchtage, a type of fair. The most well-known fair is the Villacher Kirchtag in Villach, which started in 1936 and is enjoyed by both locals and visitors.

The region also has many museums, such as the Carinthian State Museum in Klagenfurt and the City Museum of Villach. These museums show the history and stories of the area.

Carinthia has been home to many famous writers. After World War II, poets like Ingeborg Bachmann and Peter Handke became well known. The Days of German-language Literature in Klagenfurt is a big event where the Ingeborg Bachmann Prize is given out each year to support young writers.

In the world of art, Carinthia has seen many talented painters and architects. After 1945, new artists like Maria Lassnig helped start fresh artistic directions. There are also important art places such as the Carinthian Art Association and the Museum of Modern Art Carinthia.

Notable people

Born in Carinthia

Carinthia has been the birthplace of many famous people throughout history. Some well-known individuals include Arnulf of Carinthia, who became a Holy Roman Emperor, and Pope Gregory V. Other notable figures include scientists like Josef Stefan, writers such as Robert Musil and Ingeborg Bachmann, and athletes like alpine skier Franz Klammer. The region has also produced artists, musicians, and leaders who have made their mark in various fields.

Died in Carinthia

Some notable individuals passed away in Carinthia. Modestus, a missionary from Ireland, is believed to have died there around the year 772. Other famous people who died in Carinthia include Bolesław II the Bold, a king of Poland, and Carl Auer von Welsbach, a chemist and inventor.