Alto Adige - South Tyrol

Trentino-Alto Adige/South Tyrol (Italian: Trentino-Alto Adige; German: Trentino-Südtirol; Ladin: Trentin-Adesc Aut, also Trentin-Sudtirol) is an autonomous region in Northern Italy. It consists of two provinces: Trento and Bolzano-Bozen. The region was part of Austria-Hungary (and its predecessor, the Austrian Empire) from 1815 until its annexation by Italy in 1919. It was officially referred to as Venezia Tridentina between 1919 and 1947 and Trentino-Alto Adige/Tiroler Etschland between 1947 and 1972. In English, the most appropriate term used should be Trentino-South Tyrol but it is also sometimes called Trentino-Alto Adige. Together with the Austrian state of Tyrol it is represented by the Euroregion Tirol-Südtirol/Alto Adige-Trentino.

Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol has a population of about 985,000 people (487,000 in Bolzano and 503,000 in Trento provinces). The main ethnic groups are Italian-speakers and German speakers, with a small minority speaking Ladin. In the province of Bolzano, the majority language is German (69% of the population).

The fertile valleys of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol produce wine, fruit, dairy products and timber, while its industries include paper, chemical and metal production. The region is a major exporter of hydroelectric power. Tourism is an important source of revenue and the region is renowned for its winter skiing opportunities, especially in the Gherdëina (Gardena) valley.

Map: South Tyrol Map