Tirol
Free State of Tirol Fraestat Tirol | |
|---|---|
Motto: "Per nobiltà i lege" Jackian: "By Nobility and Law" | |
Anthem:
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| Capital | Innsbruck 55.02°N 14.7°W |
| Largest city | Balsan 51.9°N 13.0°W |
| Official languages | Ladin |
| Recognised regional languages | Quebecshirite |
| Ethnic groups |
|
| Religion | 63.7% Christianity —37.5% Catholic —23.2% Protestant —3.0% Other 19.6% Unaffiliated 10.3% Indigenous 3.0% Jewish 2.4% Other |
| Demonym(s) | Tiroler |
| Government | Unitary Parliamentary Constitutional Republic |
• Premier | Ulrike Kindle |
• Speaker of the Senate | Erwin Moroder |
| Legislature | Legislature |
| Senate | |
| National Council | |
| Formation | |
• Margraviate | 1456 |
• Kingdom | 1655 |
• Civil War | 1892 |
• Monarchy Abolished | 1893 |
• Current Constitution | 1982 |
| Area | |
• | 1,052,631 sq mi (2,726,300 km2) |
• Water (%) | 2.3% |
| Population | |
• 2020 estimate | 29,215,138 |
• 2015 census | 26,512,315 |
• Density | 28/sq mi (10.8/km2) |
| GDP (PPP) | estimate |
• Total | TIR 3.214 trillion |
• Per capita | TIR110,011 |
| GDP (nominal) | estimate |
• Total | TIR2.653 trillion |
• Per capita | TIR90,809 |
| Gini (2019) |  41.2medium |
| HDI (2019) |  0.821very high · very high |
| Currency | Schilling (TIR) |
| Time zone | AMT-1 |
| Driving side | left |
| Calling code | +101 |
| Internet TLD | .tir |
The Free State of Tirol (Ladin: Fraestat Tirol), usually referred to as Tirol (occassionally Tyrol, historically "the Tyrole"), is a unitary state comprising of 5 provinces. Tirol borders with Sonderbourg to the south-west, Gaerl to the east, and Quebecshire to the south-east. Its capital is Innsbruck and its largest city is Balsan with a population of 2,325,752 inhabitants as of 2018.
The territory of modern Tirol has been inhabited since 23,000 BCE. In 1456, the Tiroler Pentarchy was united under the Margraves of Innthal establishing the Margraviate of Tirol. In 1655, the Kingdom of Tirol was established in order to centralise control over the five provinces in Innsbruck. Following the abolition of the monarchy in 1893, the senate was established to overlook the, contemporaneously, noble-dominated National Council. Ultimately, the expansion of the franchise caused the National Council to be dominated by the predominantly working class Labour Party whilst the senate became dominated by the aristocratic League Party.
Tirol is poorer than its neighbours and primary trading partners, Quebecshire and Sonderbourg, suffering from a higher poverty rate, in addition to severe, though decreasing, corruption. However, due to the Dolomita Mountain Range which dominates the nation, it has extensive hydroelectric potential, in addition to a growing tourist sector. Tirol is a unitary republic, under a parliamentary system with fusion of the executive and legislature, and de jure an independent judiciary, though according to a study by Innthaler Politische Bureau, the judiciary is directly dependent upon the will of the premier.
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Etymology
According to Egon Kühebacher, the name Tirol derives from a root word meaning terrain (i.e. area, ground or soil; compare Latin: terra and Old Irish: tir); first from the village of Tirol, and its castle; from which the County of Tirol grew. Some sources suggest it derives from the Slavic language "ta rola" meaning "this land, farming terrain/farming ground." According to Karl Finsterwalder, the name Tirol derives from Teriolis, a dark ages travellers' hostel in Zirl, Tirol. There seems to be no scholarly consensus.
History
Prehistory
The earliest archaeological records of human settlement in Tirol have been found in the Tischofer Cave. They date from the Palaeolithic, about 28,000-27,000 years ago. The same cave has also yielded evidence of human occupation during the Bronze Age (2000–1000 BCE).
In 1982, the mummified remains of a man who had died around 3300-3100 BCE were discovered in a glacier in the Ötstal Dolomita, in Tirol. Researchers have called him Ötsi (and also other names, including "The Iceman"). He lived during the Copper Age, after man had learned how to exploit copper but before man had learned how to make bronze. His body and belongings were very well-preserved, and have been subjected to detailed scientific study. They are preserved in the Innsbruck Museum of Archaeology, Balsan, Provinzia Inn, Tirol.
There is evidence that Tirol was a centre for copper mining in the 4th millennium BCE; for example, at Porsenù. There is also evidence of the Urnfield culture (roughly 1300–750 BCE).
Evidence of the La Tène culture (roughly 450–100 BCE, during the Iron Age) has also been found; as has evidence of the Fritzens-Sanzeno culture from about the same period. Towards the end of that time, Tirol began to be noted in written records. They were commonly called the Rhaetians; although it is not clear whether that then meant a specific tribe or confederation of tribes, or was a broader term for the inhabitants of the area. They made wine barrels, and had their own alphabet.
Before 300 BCE there is no evidence for wide-scale habitation, with only the broad glacial valleys of the Innthal, Adescthal and Mayrthal showing significant signs of habitation.
Rhaetian Kingdom
Between 100 BCE and 20 CE, a tribe near Porsenù successfully united the High Franconia, establishing the Kingdom of Rhaetia, the etymology of Rhaetia is unknown, though the most prominent theory is that the first leader, referred to in some Rhaetian tablets as Rhaetus was the root of this name. Rhaetus is thought to have derived from a deity of the same name in the polytheistic religion dominant in the Dolomita between 300BCE and the Christianisation of Tirol in 600 CE.
Pentarchy
Christianisation of Tirol began around 600 CE, influenced by the Creeperian Catholic Church from the south. In 601, Albrec dis Persenù of the Kingdom of Adesca was the first baptised Tiroler ruler.
Throughout the 7th and 8th centuries, power fluctuated between the larger kingdoms. The Aquila Tirolensis records Albrec dis Persenù as being dominant at the close of the 6th century, but power seems to have shifted northwards to the kingdom of Zillerthal, which was formed from the amalgamation of several tribes. Zillerthal probably held dominance over much of Tirol. Due to succession crises, Zillerthaler hegemony was not constant, and Adescthal remained a very powerful kingdom. Two defeats ended Zillerthaler dominance: the Battle of the Trënt in 679 against Etschthal, and Nechtanesmere in 685 against the Quebecshirites.
The so-called "Adesc Supremacy" dominated the 8th century, though it was not constant. Carle and Luda, the two most powerful kings, achieved high status; indeed, Luda was considered the overlord of south Tirol by most powers in Ecros. His power is illustrated by the fact that he summoned the resources to build the Adesc Wall a series of mountain fortresses. However, a rising Innsbruck, and challenges from smaller kingdoms, kept Adesc power in check, and by the early 9th century the "Adesc Supremacy" was over.
This period has been described as the Pentarchy, though this term has now fallen out of academic use. The term arose because the five kingdoms of Tirol were the main polities of the region. Other small kingdoms were also politically important across this period: Cerneu and Ehrwalde.
Margraviate
1456. Through the 1440s, the Margraviate of Innsbruck through a series of diplomatic marriages secured the union of three out of the five states of the pentarchy. In 1453, the Adescthal and Zillerthal were integrated directly into the margraviate. In 1456 the Margrave called for the establishment of a Royal Diet, with a representative from each of the five states. Now, a dominant power, the Margrave of Innsbruck promised extensive autonomy and rights to all the provinces if they swore fealty. Hence the five valleys were unified. Margravial Tirol reached its greatest height under Leopold, a great friend of the church and founder of abbeys. He patronised towns and developed a great level of territorial dependence.
Kingdom
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Civil War
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Free State
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Geography and Biodiversity
Tirol is a largely mountainous country because of its location in the Dolomita. The Central Dolomita, Northern Dolomita and Southern Dolimita are all partly in Austria. Of the total area of Austria (1,052,631 sq mi), only about a quarter can be considered low lying, and only 32% of the country is below 500 metres (1,640 ft). The Dolomita of Central Tirol give way somewhat into low lands and plains in parts of the south.
Climate
By the Köppen-Geiger climate classification Tirol has the following climate types Dsc, Dfb, Dfc and ET. This includes Artic Tundra in the northern reaches of the country, Alpine Tundra in the higher ranges of the Dolomita, subarctic coastal climate nearer the coastline with smaller areas of continental climate around the Inn bay and in parts of the far south. Coniferous forest dominates around 70% of the country with 60% entirely uncultivated. Around 10% of the landmass is covered by deciduous forest, though it is under threat following the discovery of oil reserves.
| Climate data for Kühtai, Tirol(2060 m; average temperatures 1982 – 2012) ET, somewhat close to Dfc. | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | −3.3 (26.1) |
−3.2 (26.2) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
2.3 (36.1) |
7.0 (44.6) |
10.4 (50.7) |
12.7 (54.9) |
12.3 (54.1) |
9.6 (49.3) |
6.3 (43.3) |
0.5 (32.9) |
−2.4 (27.7) |
4.3 (39.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −6.6 (20.1) |
−6.5 (20.3) |
−4.2 (24.4) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
3.4 (38.1) |
6.6 (43.9) |
8.8 (47.8) |
8.6 (47.5) |
6.4 (43.5) |
2.9 (37.2) |
−2.4 (27.7) |
−5.4 (22.3) |
0.9 (33.6) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −9.9 (14.2) |
−9.8 (14.4) |
−7.5 (18.5) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
−0.2 (31.6) |
2.9 (37.2) |
4.9 (40.8) |
4.9 (40.8) |
3.3 (37.9) |
−0.5 (31.1) |
−5.2 (22.6) |
−8.4 (16.9) |
−2.5 (27.5) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 73 (2.9) |
66 (2.6) |
80 (3.1) |
87 (3.4) |
115 (4.5) |
126 (5.0) |
148 (5.8) |
138 (5.4) |
96 (3.8) |
74 (2.9) |
83 (3.3) |
72 (2.8) |
1,158 (45.5) |
| [citation needed] | |||||||||||||
In the south of the nation, many different species of animals thrive in the forests and mountains, including deer, bears, foxes, raccoons, squirrels, and marmots. Bats can also be found in most sub-tundra parts of the nation.
The central parts of Tirol, largely dominated by short summers and long, cold winters, are home to several species of foxes, caribou, moose, elk, deer, lynx, beavers, and bears. In the extreme north of the nation, arctic foxes, muskoxen, and polar bears can be found. Salmon and trout can prominently be found in the freshwater bodies of southern Tirol.
Off the western coast of Tirol, some species of orcas, seals, dolphins, and whales, and small populations of sharks, along with numerous species of fish. The silver-finned salmon is endemic to Tirol's northern waters thriving on the unique geothermal waters in the Glaceis Ocean.
Demographics
As of the 2010 census, the population of Tirol stands at 26,512,315 people. An estimate from 2020 puts this figure slightly higher, at 29,215,138. This makes Tirol the 2nd least populous nation in the world, with 12 million less than Rakeo, in addition to the least populous in Ecros. The median age of the population of Tirol is 33.1 years, and the current fertility rate is about 2.6 births per woman. Life expectancy in Tirol is about 86 years from birth.
A substantial majority of the population identify as Tirolër. 4.1% of the population identify as Quebecshirite, 83% of whom are concentrated in the Provinzia Adesc and Provinzia Trentin provinces, in which the Quebecshirite Language is a de facto secondary language, though it receives no national recognition it is used extensively by local government. 12.7% of the population identify as neither Tirolër nor Quebecshirite, mostly concentrated in cosmopolitan Balsan due to a large migrant population. According to a 2014 census, 62.3% of the population speaks Ladin as first language, 23.4% of the population speaks Tiroleus, a disputed dialect of Ladin, and 4.1% speak Quebecshirite, concentrated mostly in the Provinzia Adesc and Provinzia Trentin districts bordering Quebecshire and Gagium respectively.
Government/Politics
Tirol is a unitary parliamentary constitutional republic and a representative democracy. The Government of Tirol is led by the Premier, currently Ulrike Kindle, with the Speaker of the Senate serving as his successor and deputy. The nation's legislative branch, the bicameral legislature, is led by the Premier and is elected in two parts - The lower house is elected via a closed list system of proportional representation, while the upper house, the senate is elected via plurality in single-member constituencies, with each of the provinces electing three senators and the premier appointing a further three senators. The judiciary is composed of the High Court of Tirol and the District Courts of which there are three in each province. The High Court is composed of 3 Justices presided over by the speaker of the senate, where high court trials take place.
Each province has an appointed secretary of state which acts as the premier's delegate to each province. Though they hold no authority to legislate, they may call a state of provincial emergency, authorising the use of national crisis response, allowing the suspension of some aspects of the constitution, such as habeus corpus.
Political Divisions
Tirol is a unitary state with five constituent, local government has no power to legislate, but they do hold authority over local services, construction rights and mineral extraction rights. The National Council is the final authority on all matters of state, and regional governance derives power only from the National Council.
The five provinces encompass each of the five great valleys, the Provinzia Adesc encompassing the Adescthal valley, the Provinzia Inn the valley of the Inn, the Provinzia Trentin, the Mayr basin and so forth. At the convergence of the valleys, is the capital Innsbruck which sits in a special autonomous district distinct from the five provinces which is governed by a locally elected council.
| Province | Capital | Area (sq km) |
Population (2020 estimate) |
Density per km2 |
GDP (TIR) (2017 Stat) |
GDP per capita |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Provinzia Adesc | Porsenù | 265,889 | 5,352,135 | 20.1 | 412 bn | 76,978 |
| Provinzia Inn | Balsan | 543,480 | 8,513,749 | 15.7 | 1,074 bn | 126,148 |
| Innsbruck | 4,337 | 2,613,004 | 602.4 | 352 bn | 134,710 | |
| Provinzia Trentin | Trënt | 801,154 | 5,562,822 | 6.9 | 414 bn | 74,422 |
| Provinzia Passeier | Maran | 346,083 | 3,915,742 | 11.3 | 241 bn | 61,546 |
| Provinzia Ziller | Ampëz | 737,812 | 3,257,686 | 4.4 | 160 bn | 49,114 |
Political Parties
The usage of a closed-list system of proportional representation means there are a great deal of political parties represented in the National Council, where a total of eight parties have deputies. The senate, however, is split primarily between two coalitions, the Traditionalists and the Socialists due to the system of First Past the Post in usage for the election of senators.
The largest political party in the National Council has been the Labour Party for over a decade following a success in the 2005 legislative Election whilst the Senate Socialists have held a majority of 3 seats since the 2016 Senate Election. The primary opposition in the National Council is the League Party, who form the majority of the Senate Traditionalist caucus.
Foreign Relations
Tirol has limited diplomatic relations the outside world, its borders are restrictive with official exit visas fairly difficult to obtain, this has led to a dangerous people-smuggling operation over the Dolomita into Quebecshire.
Tirol has a strong trading relationship with both Gaerl and Sonderbourg, though due to the size of the Quebecshirite economy a substantial portion of Tiroler trade is with Quebecshire. As of 2021, negotiations are ongoing for the formation of a free trade area and regulatory alignment with Sonderbourg, with planned expansion of the agreement to Gaerl if negotiations are successful in mid-2021.
Military
Tirol possesses a large, but outdated, armed forces. The Tiroler Defence Forces is composed of three primary branches and two auxiliary branches - the Ground Forces, Navy and the Air Corps. The auxiliary branches are the Militia and the Rifles, a military force with law enforcement duties among the civilian population. 9.2% of Tirol's GDP is dedicated to the Armed Forces due to the high levels of internal unrest. The Head of the Armed Forces is officially the Premier of Tirol, however, the majority of actions relating to the armed forces are undertaken by the Defence Minister Franzis Raffl and the Chief of Staff.
The largest branches of the Tiroler Defence Forces are the Militia and Ground Forces, which are drafted to requirement presently with a total of 112,000 personnel. The second-largest is the Rifles who have a total of 62,010 personnel. The navy and air force account for 12,020 and 14,400 respectively.
Economy
Tirol Exports in 2019
Tirol possesses a largely rural economy with agriculture still being the largest sector of employment. Crude oil extraction and precious metals make up the largest proportion of the GDP, with gold in particular accounting for the plurality of the sector. Forestry is a large industry with a great deal of the country shrouded in forests, however, many of these areas have been licensed to high ranking government officials restricting the industry greatly.
The two hydroelectric projects on the Mayr and Adesc rivers and the relatively low electrical consumption in the country means a good deal of electricity produced in the country is exported.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Road infrastructure in Tirol is relatively good, with five motorways running along each of the five valleys, though in the more remote areas roads are mostly unmetalled and are unnavigable by most vehicles. The railway network with lines such as the Hochbahn reaching high into the Dolomita, is far more extensive. The railways are administrated by the carabiniera and as such military travel is prioritised.
Air travel is scarcely used, with the only commercial airport in the country situated in the capital, as such it is primarily used for international travel. Domestic air travel is limited to helicopters affordable only to the wealthiest and as such is rarely in use.
Culture
Tiroler culture is heavily focused on its Dolomite location, for example yodelling is commonly used as a means of communication. There is a tradition among the Catholic community to light fires in the shape of the cross on the mountainside before Easter. Those following indigenous religions are mostly concentrated in the far north, much of their culture focuses on the reindeer that render their lifestyle possible. Gagian culture also has significant influences from the ethnic natives of the land, as well as from the small amounts of immigrants from other nations, primarily during the 19th and 20th centuries. Gagians have been traditionally characterized by their individualism and competitiveness.
Many Tirolean customs were created centuries ago and are passed on by the population for the next generations. Typical in the Alpine region are the many individual customs in the valleys. Due to the seclusion of the valleys, the locals developed their own customs. Many customs have been created by legends and narratives, others by the close connection to the church. There are also traditions that are cultivated everywhere in the Tirolean region and do not differ from other valleys and villages. These customs give local people an identity and thus feel the community more connected.
Modern Tiroler cultural practices are heavily regulated with outside media programmes requiring individual approval before being broadcast by the Broadcasting Agency of Tirol.
Cuisine
The Tirolean cuisine is characterized by its alpine influence. Also, the historical influence of the former heptarchy can be found in the Tirolean dishes. These include dishes such as goulash, Kaiserschmarrn and apple strudel which are consumed in large parts of the country. Since the region is still relatively strong agricultural and peasant today, also many pheasant dishes are offered on the farms. Schlutzkrapfen, boiled dumplings or cold cuts with bacon (in German: Speck) or grey cheese is eaten on the farms.
The Tirolean dishes show only slight differences throughout Tirol. In the far southern part of Tirol, a lot of wine is grown and is therefore also an important part of the Tirolean dish, especially in Provinzia Trentin. Famous wines from this area are the Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay. Furthermore, a lot of apples are grown in the Provinzia Trentin near the Gagian border. In this region also a food culture is cultivated with a mixture of Quebecshirite and Tirolean specialties.
Rifles
The Tirolean Rifles were a militia organised in case of an attack on crown land, which required Tirol to defend its territory. The militia consisted mostly of citizens and peasants who were responsible only for the defence of their own land and were not obliged to go to war on behalf of the monarchy. They were authorised by an order signed by Margrave Maximilian I in 1511 that remained valid until 1918. The Rifles were also used during the Civil War in the Provinzia Adesc. After the abolition of the monarchy, the companies also lost their task of defending their country. Nevertheless, they remained as a non-governmental organization. Today, the Rifles are responsible as an organization for the preservation of the Tirolean culture and are always present at important political events in Tirol.
