Austria. South and West Provinces

Several high ranges of the Alps, separated by beautiful river valleys, cross-southern and western Austria. The southern and western provinces consist of Vorarlberg, Tyrol, Salzburg, and Corinthia. Innsbruck and Salzburg are the chief cities.

Vorarlberg. Vorarlberg is a small province in the western corner of Austria. Vorarlberg's ancient capital, Bregenz, is a charming town on the eastern shore of Lake Constance. Summer festivals held on the lake attract many visitors each year.

Much of the land in Vorarlberg is too mountainous for raising crops, but dairy animals graze in the high areas and yield large quantities of milk and cheese. Skilled craft workers in the region produce fine embroidery, and other goods include watches, clocks, metals, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. Tourism is also a leading industry in the province, and sports centers draw visitors to the province the year around.

The people of Vorarlberg, who speak a German dialect known as Alamannic, have formed close relationships with the Alamannic-speaking populations of the Allgau region of Bavaria in southwestern Germany, the Lake Constance area of eastern Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. As a result, the province has established close economic ties with these regions, and many people from Vorarlberg commute across international borders every day to work in Liechtenstein or St. Gallen, Switzerland.

Tyrol. After World War I, the region of Tyrol was divided into two parts: Northern Tyrol, which was given to Austria, and Southern Tyrol, which was given to Italy. Austrian Tyrol, or Northern Tyrol, lies in the mountainous western part of the country.

One of the most popular holiday areas Europe, Tyrol offers superb facilities for summer and winter sports. The Alps cover most of the province, and Grossglockner, the highest mountain in Austria, rises 12,457 feet (3,797 meters) in this region. The wide, fertile Inn River Valley extends over the northern part of Tyrol.

Innsbruck, the capital city of the province, lies in the Alps north of Brenner Pass. This Alpine pass links northern Europe with the Mediterranean countries. Innsbruck's many beautiful buildings include the Hofkirche, a church that contains the tomb of Maximilian I, the Holy Roman emperor from 1493 to 1519.

Innsbruck, above, the old provincial capital of Tyrol, retains many of its medieval buildings, narrow streets, and tall houses. It is home to a university and several industries.

The province is Austria's favorite holiday destination, and tourism is Tyrol's main economic activity. Other industries in the region produce leather, processed foods, stained glass, and textiles.

Salzburg and Carinthia. The province of Salzburg lies in the valley of the Salzach River. The region produces salt (for which it is named), as well as leather, paper, textiles, and timber. Agricultural activities in the area include dairy farming and horse breeding.

Salzburg is also the cultural heart of central Austria. Its capital city, also named Salzburg, is the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, one of the world's greatest composers. Annual music and theater festivals draw people from all over the world to this beautiful city on the Salzach River. Salzburg's many magnificent buildings include Hohensalzburg Castle, set high on a hill overlooking the historical section of the city, and the Residenz, once the palace of Salzburg's prince bishops, in the heart of the city.

Hohensalzburg Castle, above, overlooks the old section of the city of Salzburg. The castle, which is more than 900 years old, was rebuilt in the 1500's.

Other important buildings include Salzburg's baroque cathedral, built between 1614 and 1628, and Mozart's birthplace. Carinthia lies in south-central Austria in a sheltered basin surrounded by mountains. The region is known as the country's "sun terrace" because of its comparatively warm climate. Forests cover more than half of the province.

Carinthia's warm summers attract numerous visitors to its resort areas, including beautiful Lake Worther. Another popular attraction is the splendid Schloss Hochosterwitz, a castle perched on a cliff near St. Veit.

The church of SI. Maria Worth, fell lies on the Worther See, the largest of the Alpine lakes of Carinthia.

Tourism plays a major part in the local economy, but agriculture, dairy farming, forestry, mining, and paper production are also important industries. The small town of Ferlach is famous for its manufacture of high-quality hunting rifles.