The 9 Regions of Austria (Part 2)

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Go back to the other four states: Vienna, Upper Austria, Lower Austria, and Burgenland

Styria

The remaining five states are mostly mountainous, as Alps occupy their almost whole area. The second largest state in terms of surface area is Styria (Steiermark), located to the south of Vienna and Lower Austria. Styria borders on Slovenia in the south and its capital is Graz, the second largest city in Austria.

Carinthia

To the south-west of Styria, along the Slovene and Italian border lies Carinthia (Kärnten). Carinthia is stuck between the high ranges of Hohe Tauern (north), Carnic Alps, and Karawanken (south). The majority of its inhabitants live in the valley along the river Drau. The capital is Klagenfurt.

Salzburg

On the other side of Hohe Tauern lies the beautiful state Salzburg with its well-known capital bearing the same name. Salzburg is a popular tourist destination and offers a wide range of attractions, including huge and interconnected ski resorts, romantic lakes, and challenging peaks. The name is derived from salt that used to be mined here on a large scale.

Tyrol and East Tyrol

Tyrol (Tirol) spreads on the relatively narrow stripe of land between Germany in the north and Italy in the south. It has also a very mountainous landscape that makes it an ideal vacation destination, both in summer and winter. Its capital, Innsbruck, hosted the Winter Olympics in 1964 and 1976.

Tyrol also includes the small region of East Tyrol (Osttirol), separated from the rest of Tyrol by Italy and Salzburg. This is a result of the post World War I Treaty of Saint Germain that forced Austria to give up the other part of Tyrol, South Tyrol (Südtirol), to Italy, where the region is now also known as Trentino-Alto Adige. The capital of East Tyrol is Lienz.

Vorarlberg

At the very end of Austrian area at the coast of the Bodensee (Lake Constance) lies the small state of Vorarlberg. Its name means “in front of Arlberg,” which is a mountain. Vorarlberg borders on Germany, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein and its capital is Bregenz.