Modern**, a province of the empire of Austria, which in the nomenclature of the government is classed by the name of a kingdom. When the Romans had made themselves masters of the Danube, the Save, and the Drave, they united all the country to the south of Noricum and Pannonia into a province, to which they gave the name of Illyricum. When the western Roman empire fell to pieces, and, through the pressure of the northern invaders, Byzantium was deprived of its outworks, that province lost its name, and was only distinguished by the Austrians as the Hungarian provinces to the south of the Drave.

By the peace of Pressburg in 1809, these portions of country were ceded to Bonaparte, and with them also Villach, Friuli, Istria, and a part of Tyrol, to which afterwards Dalmatia was added; and they were constituted a portion of his vast empire, under the name of the Illyrian Provinces. The campaigns of 1813 and 1814, with the treaty of Vienna which followed as the consequence of these, gave back these provinces to the ancient ruler. Dalmatia, the military frontier, and the Tyrol, were detached from them; and in 1822 they were further diminished by the erection of Croatia into a separate government.

This kingdom is, for political purposes, divided into two parts, with separate chiefs; one in the north, denominated, from its capital, Laybach; and the other in the south, from the same cause called Trieste, but sometimes distinguished as the division of the sea-shore.

This kingdom extends in north latitude from 44° 59' to 47° 8', and in east longitude from 12° 36' to 16° 27'. It is bounded on the north by the Austrian province of the Upper Ens, by Steyermark, and Civil Croatia; on the east by Military Croatia; on the south by the Adriatic Sea; and on the west by Venetian Lombardy and the Tyrol. The extent and population of the several districts are—

| In the North. | Extent in Square Miles | Population in 1833 | |---------------|-----------------------|------------------| | Klagenfurth | 1560 | 174,600 | | Villach | 1760 | 131,200 | | Laybach | 1364 | 166,400 | | Neustadt | 1276 | 193,900 | | Adelsburg | 1186 | 91,500 |

| In the South. | Extent in Square Miles | Population in 1833 | |---------------|-----------------------|------------------| | Trieste | 39 | 58,200 | | Gorz | 1910 | 171,000 | | Istria | 2210 | 204,000 |

The surface of the land is penetrated throughout with chains of high mountains, having some of their points very lofty, between which are valleys, some of greater, others of less extent. The sea-coast is generally flat and sandy, particularly to the westward, and abounds in morasses. The bay of Trieste on the east, and that of Quarnero on the west, run far up into the land, and thus form the great peninsula of Istria. The valleys in the districts of Villach and Klagenfurth are stony, but have a soil of moderate fertility. In Karlstadt there is an excess of wood. The districts of Laybach, Neustadt, and Adelsburg, are full of stone quarries, marshes, and sand-hills, and are very unproductive. In the districts on the coast, the want of water is sometimes much felt. A range of mountains near Laybach divides the course of the waters, which on the north of it run to the Save and the Drave, and through them to the Black Sea; whilst those rivers in the south of the range discharge their water into the Adriatic.

The great ranges of mountains already noticed may be divided into three classes, all of which take their direction from east to west. 1st, The Noric Alps, which cover the northern parts of the districts of Villach and Klagenfurth. The names of the particular parts are various, but the loftiest portion is the Great Glockner, the highest points of which are 11,980 feet above the level of the sea, and are covered with snow during the whole year. From it a projection extends to the south, and separates Klagenfurth from the province of Steyermark. 2d, The Carinthian Alps. This range is divided into two branches, one of which extends to Steyermark, and the other terminates with the massive Terklow, from which a lower branch is continued to the river Save. 3d, The Julian Alps. These begin with the Terklow, which is 6500 feet in height, and run quite to the Adriatic Sea. It is a characteristic of these Julian mountains, that they are all of calcareous formation, and are filled with an incredible number of caverns and grottos. From Isonzo to the frontier of Bosnia more than a thousand of these are remarked; and it has been supposed that the whole of the mountains in question are filled with such natural excavations. Many small streams flow under as well as upon the earth; they are visible for a short space, and then bury themselves in the bowels of the earth. The washing of such streams causes a sinking of the land in many parts in the form of a funnel, which has a very remarkable appearance. The whole district, but especially the eastern part, from the peculiar formation, the numerous caverns, the subterranean rivers, the lakes, cascades, and other curiosities, presents many natural phenomena, such as are unknown in any other part of Europe.

The population consists of several original tribes, mostly of the Slavonian race. The original language is still retained, but with a great variety of dialects, by which they may still be traced up to the countries whence they emigrated twelve or thirteen centuries ago. They adhere to their ancient customs, dress, food, and amusements, and rarely intermarry with any of the families of German origin. They are mostly occupied in agriculture, though some are employed in the mines, and a few in the towns and cities in the several kinds of labour. Their number exceeds 800,000 persons. The next are the Germans, some cultivators, others mechanics or traders, who are stated to be rather more than 300,000. Besides, there are about 60,000 Italians, residing chiefly on the Adriatic shores. The far greater proportion adhere to the Roman Catholic communion, and are zealously, or rather bigottedly, attached to it. They are under the ecclesiastical direction of thirteen bishops in the different cities. In the circles of Villach and Klagenfurth there are about 18,000 Lutherans, who have sixteen churches and eighteen chapels. Besides these, there are 200 Protestants reformed, 1200 Jews, and 1000 of the Greek church, all of whom have the free exercise of their several religious rites.

From the nature of the surface, agriculture can be but little productive, though it is well managed in the valleys about Villach and Klagenfurth. The corn produced is, according to Blumenbach, a million quarters of the four principal kinds; and in one year, where actual returns were made, the following products were harvested, viz. wheat 94,300 quarters, rye 185,000, barley 142,500, and oats 350,000 quarters. Though some maize, buck-wheat, and millet are raised, and though potatoes have been introduced and extended in every year, there is a deficiency to be supplied from other districts, which is paid for by the timber and wood-ware which is floated down by the rivers, and the preparation of which furnishes a great portion of the employment of labourers. Flax and hemp are cultivated; and there are in most parts abundance of fruit trees, and in the southern part great plenty of almonds, chestnuts, and walnuts. Some olives grow near Trieste; and about forty ciners, of thirty gallons each, are annually exported. The stock of cattle is small when compared with either the extent of the land or the number of the inhabitants. The northern districts yield no wine; in the south there is abundance, but most of it is of bad quality, and cannot be kept longer than a year.

The fishery gives considerable employment to the residents on the sea-shore, especially the taking of the large tunny and small sardinias, operations which are carried on by joint-stock companies. Many oysters also are taken, and the city of Vienna is supplied with them by a very expensive land-carriage.

The mining operations are very numerous, if not very extensive. The chief mines of lead are near Villach. Adelsburg has the most productive mines of quicksilver, and most of the other districts yield silver, iron, copper, antimony, sal-ammoniac, alum, or vitriol. The iron is chiefly converted into tools or utensils, particularly nails, which are exported. There is abundance of fossil coal in many parts, and some saline springs. The latter do not yield sufficient culinary salt for the consumption, and much is made by the sun on the sea-shore. Whatever shipping trade exists is conducted through the ports of Trieste or Fiume. As there are good roads in all directions, the internal trade with the other dominions of Austria is very extensive, and rapidly increasing.

The courts of law, both civil and criminal, are held at Klagenfurth, which is also the chief seat of the police, and of the treasury board for the whole kingdom.