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Carinthia

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Carinthia is a beautiful state located in the southernmost part of Austria.

Austria Carinthia relief location map
Austria Carinthia relief location map

It sits nestled within the Eastern Alps, a huge mountain range. This state is the fifth-largest in all of Austria. Much of the land is filled with high peaks and deep valleys.

Heiligenblut am Großglockner (1)
Heiligenblut am Großglockner (1)

The Carnic Alps and the Karawanks mountains mark its borders. These mountains separate Carinthia from its neighbors, Italy and Slovenia. To the northwest, the High Tauern mountains stand tall. They separate this region from the Austrian state of Salzburg.

001 Faaker See lake and Karawanks mountains in Carinthia, Austria
001 Faaker See lake and Karawanks mountains in Carinthia, Austria

The land has two very different types of scenery. In the southeast, there is a large area called the Klagenfurt Basin. This is a flat, sedimentary basin that covers about one-fifth of the state. Most of the big towns and lovely lakes are found here. In the northwest, the land becomes much more rugged. This is the Upper Carinthian region, which reaches up to the high Alpine crest. The Drava River is the main river flowing through this land. Other rivers like the Gurk, Glan, Lavant, and Gail also flow through the valleys.

People have lived in this region for a very long time. Archaeologists found stone tools in a cave that are over 30,000 years old. Much later, people built homes on stilts near Lake Keutschach. Around 300 BC, different tribes formed the Kingdom of Noricum. This kingdom was famous for trading salt and iron. Later, a Slavic group called the Carantani rose to power around the year 600. They lived along the Drava, Mur, and Sava rivers. They even had a special ritual for their leaders using a stone.

Klagenfurt Landhaus Großer Wappensaal Fürstenstein 19072006 6295
Klagenfurt Landhaus Großer Wappensaal Fürstenstein 19072006 6295

The history of the area changed many times as different groups moved in. The Roman Empire took control of the Noricum region in 15 BC. Later, Germanic tribes and other groups like the Visigoths and Ostrogoths passed through. By the year 976, Carinthia became its own duchy. For a very long time, the famous Habsburg family ruled the land. They held power in the region until the year 1918. After the Habsburg monarchy ended, the borders of the state were discussed by leaders in Vienna. This was a very busy time of change for the whole country.

Today, Carinthia is a place where many people come to visit. Tourism is one of the most important ways people earn a living there. Visitors love to see the many beautiful lakes, such as Wörther See and Lake Faak.

001 Faaker See lake and Karawanks mountains in Carinthia, Austria
001 Faaker See lake and Karawanks mountains in Carinthia, Austria

Other jobs in the area include forestry, farming, and engineering. The weather can be quite varied depending on where you stand. Summers are often hot, while winters can be long and harsh. However, Carinthia gets more hours of sunshine than any other state in Austria.

Heiligenblut am Großglockner (1)
Heiligenblut am Großglockner (1)
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🖼️ Images & Media (12)
Kärntner Heimatlied.ogg
File:Heiligenblut am Großglockner (1).JPG
Heiligenblut am Großglockner (1).JPG
File:Austria Carinthia relief location map.svg
Austria Carinthia relief location map.svg
File:001 Faaker See lake and Karawanks mountains in Carinthia, Austria.jpg
001 Faaker See lake and Karawanks...
File:Anonymous Youth of Magdalensberg 03.JPG
Anonymous Youth of Magdalensberg 03.JPG
File:Klagenfurt Landhaus Großer Wappensaal Fürstenstein 19072006 6295.jpg
Klagenfurt Landhaus Großer Wappensaal...
File:Obermillstatt 16 2006.JPG
Obermillstatt 16 2006.JPG
File:Koettmannsdorf Unterschlossberg Stausee und Strassenbruecke 03032015 0234.jpg
Koettmannsdorf Unterschlossberg Stausee...
File:Flag of Carinthia (state).svg
Flag of Carinthia (state).svg
File:Map at kaernten bezirke kfz.png
Map at kaernten bezirke kfz.png
File:Klagenfurt Landhaus 25042009 31.jpg
Klagenfurt Landhaus 25042009 31.jpg
File:Gurk Cathedral.jpg
Gurk Cathedral.jpg
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