Province of Bolzano-Bozen
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Nation |  Italy |
| Region | Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol |
| Capital | Bolzano |
| Area | 7,399.97 km² |
| Population (2008) | 493,910 |
| Density | 65 |
| Comuni | 116 |
| Vehicle Registration | BZ |
| Postal Code | 39XXX |
| Telephone Prefix | 0471, 0472, 0473, 0474 |
| ISTAT | 021 |
| President | Luis Durnwalder (SVP) |
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| Map highlighting the location of the province of Bolzano-Bozen in Italy | |
The Province of Bolzano-Bozen[1][2][3] (Italian: Provincia autonoma di Bolzano; German: Autonome Provinz Bozen; Ladin: Provinzia autonoma de Bulsan), also referred to in English as Alto Adige (from the Italian name) or South Tyrol (from the German name Südtirol) is an autonomous province of Italy.[4] In the Ladin language Alto Adige and Südtirol are used.
The province of Bolzano-Bozen is one of the two provinces which make up Italy's region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, which itself is an autonomous region. The province is divided into 116 comuni (municipalities).[5] Its capital is the city of Bolzano (German: Bozen, Ladin: Balsan). The province has an area of 7,400 km² and a total population of 493,910 (2008).[6] The region is renowned for its mountains, such as the Dolomites, which compose a significant section of the Alps. In the wider context of the EU, the province is one of the three members of the Euroregion Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino.
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[edit] History
The province of Bolzano-Bozen is an administrative entity the origins of which go back to World War I. Formerly part of the Austro-Hungarian county of Tyrol, it was annexed by Italy at the end of the war and incorporated into the region Venezia Tridentina. The province as it exists today was created in 1926 after an administrative reorganization of the Kingdom of Italy. An autonomous status was granted after World War II, resulting ultimately in a considerable level of self-government.[7]
[edit] Geography
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The province of Bolzano-Bozen is located at the northernmost point in Italy. The province is bordered by Austria to the east and north, specifically by the Austrian Bundesland (state) Tyrol, with which it formed an entity until 1918, and by Switzerland to the west. The Italian provinces of Belluno, Trento, and Sondrio border to the southeast, south, and southwest, respectively. The landscape itself is mostly cultivated with different types of shrubs and forests.
[edit] Climate
The climate is very similar to the Austrian Tyrol's climate. It may be divided in five distinct groups:
The Adige valley area, with cold winters (24-h averages in January of about 0°C) and warm summers (24-h averages in July of about 23°C), usually classified as Humid subtropical climate - Cfa. It’s the driest and sunniest climate of the province. Main cities in this area: Bolzano, Neumarkt.
The midlands between 300 and 900 meters, with cold winters (24-h averages in January between minus 3°C and plus 1°C) and mild summers (24-h averages in July between 15°C and 21°C); This is a typical Oceanic climate, classified as Cfb. It’s usually wetter than the subtropical climate, and very snowy during the winters. During the spring and the fall, there is a large foggy season, but fog may occur even during the summer’s mornings. Main towns in this area: Merano, Bruneck, Sterzing, Brixen. Near the lakes in higher lands (between 1000 and 1400 meters) the humidity may make the climate in these regions milder during the winters, but also cooler during the summers, then, may occur a Subpolar oceanic climate, Cfc.
The alpine valleys between 900 and 1400 meters, with a typically Humid continental climate – Dfb, covering the largest part of the province. The winters are usually very cold (24-h averages in January between minus 8°C and minus 3°C), and the summers, mild with averages between 14 and 19°C. It’s a very snowy climate, snow may occur since early October until April or even May. Main municipalities in this area: Ortisei, Badia, Sexten, Toblach, Stilfs, Vöran, Mühlwald.
The alpine valleys between 1400 and 1700 meters, with a Subarctic climate – Dfc, with harsh winters (24-h averages in January between minus 9°C and minus 5°C) and cool, short, rainy and foggy summers (24-h averages in July of about 12°C). These areas usually have five months below the freezing point, and snow sometimes occur even during the summer, in September. This climate is the wettest of the province, with large rainfalls during the summer, heavy snowfalls during spring and fall. The winter is usually a little drier, marked by freezing and dry weeks, although not sufficiently dry to be classified as a Dwc climate. Main municipalities in this area: Corvara, Sëlva, Santa Crestina Gherdëina.
The highlands above 1700 meters, with an alpine Tundra climate, ET, which becomes an Eternal-Frost climate, EF above 3000 meters. The winters are cold, but sometimes not as cold as the higher valleys winters. In January, most of the areas at 2000 meters have an average temperature of about minus 5°C, while in the valleys at about 1600 meters, the mean temperature may be as low as minus 8 or minus 9°C. The higher lands, above 3000 meters are usually extremely cold, with averages of about minus 14°C during the coldest month, January.
[edit] Mountains
Entirely located in the Alps, the province's landscape is dominated by mountains. The highest peak is the Ortler (3,905 m) in the far west, which is also the highest peak in the Eastern Alps outside the Bernina range. More famous even are the craggy peaks of the Dolomites in the eastern part of the region.
The following mountain groups are (partially) in Bolzano-Bozen. All but the Sarntal Alps are on the border with Austria, Switzerland, or other Italian provinces. The ranges are clockwise from the west and for each the highest peak is given that is within the province or on its border.
| Name | Highest peak | metres | feet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ortler Alps | Ortler (Ortles) | 3,905 | 12,811 |
| Sesvenna Range | Muntpitschen | 3,162 | 10,374 |
| Ötztal Alps | Weißkugel | 3,746 | 12,291 |
| Stubai Alps | Wilder Freiger | 3,426 | 11,241 |
| Sarntal Alps | Hirzer | 2,781 | 9,124 |
| Zillertal Alps | Hochfeiler | 3,510 | 11,515 |
| Hohe Tauern | Dreiherrnspitze | 3,499 | 11,480 |
| Eastern Dolomites | Dreischusterspitze | 3,152 | 10,341 |
| Western Dolomites | Sassolungo (Langkofel/ Saslonch) | 3,181 | 10,436 |
[edit] Politics and government
The local government system is based upon the provisions of the Italian constitution and the Autonomy Statute of the Region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.[8] The extensive self-government provided by the current institutional framework has been advanced as a model for settling interethnic disputes.[9]
The residual legislative power of the province is vested in a provincial assembly (Italian: Consiglio della Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano;[10] German: Südtiroler Landtag;[11] Ladin: Cunsëi dla Provinzia Autonoma de Bulsan)[12]. The legislative powers of the provincial assembly cover all those subject matters that are not expressly reserved to the exclusive legislative power of the Italian State or to concurrent legislation per article 117 of the Italian Constitution.
The executive powers are attributed to a provincial government (Italian: Giunta Provinciale;[13] German: Landesregierung)[14].
[edit] Administrative divisions
The province is divided into eight districts (Italian: comprensorio, German: Bezirksgemeinschaft), one of them being the capital city of Bolzano. Each district is headed by a president and two bodies called the district committee and the district council. The districts are responsible for intermunicipal disputes, roads, schools and social services such as retirement homes.
The districts are:
[edit] Independence discussion
In May 2006, former Italian president and senator for life Francesco Cossiga brought in a bill that would allow the region to hold a referendum, in which the local electorate could decide whether to a) stay with the Republic of Italy, b) become fully independent, c) return to Austria, d) or become a part of Germany.[15]
The proposed bill met considerable opposition and was retracted. The South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP) rejected the proposal as well, maintaining the initiative would revive ethnic tensions.
With the 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence, the issue of independence, or Freistaat (free state), resurfaced again.[16][17] Members of the local assembly such as Eva Klotz and her South Tyrolean Freedom advocate self-determination. During the 2008 regional elections, the incumbent South Tyrolean People's Party lost votes to her party, the regionalist Lega Nord Sud Tirolo and The Libertarians, who have close ties to the nationalist Freedom Party of Austria.[18]
The Südtiroler Heimatbund asked the Soffi-Institute in Innsbruck to conduct an opinion poll on this matter. The poll was conducted end of 2005 in which only German-speaking South Tyroleans were asked. 45.33% of those asked were in favour of remaining with Italy, 54.67% were against remaining. Of the latter group, 33.40% were in favour of an independent state and 21.27% in favour of Tyrolean reunification with Austria.[19]
Another poll conducted in August 2008 by the apollis Institute of Social Research and Opinion Polling in Bolzano asked 502 Italian-speaking South Tyroleans of their opinion. The poll consisted of three parts. To the first question if a referendum about remaining with Italy should be held at all, 41% said yes and 59% no. In the event of a referendum, 78% wished to remain with Italy, 20% were in favour of an independent state and 2% in favour of Tyrolean reunification with Austria.[20]
Across the border in the Austrian state of Tyrol, the Tiroler Tageszeitung conducted a poll in January 2009 to gauge the opinion of the inhabitants of North and East Tyrol. 500 people were asked in the poll. In 2008, 45% wished a reunification with South Tyrol, that number increased in 2009 by 4% to 49% in favour. 36.6% were against reunification while 14.1% had no opinion. In the segment 15- to 29-year olds, 71% were in favour of reunification. Highest support by districts was in the Oberland with 67% while Innsbruck city and district was lowest with 42%.[21]
[edit] Economy
In terms of GDP per capita, the province is significantly richer than the southern province of Trento or the northern state of Tyrol.[22] Out of the 487,673 residents of the province, 223,300 are employed (2005). The majority of those are employed in a variety of sectors, which include: agriculture, small businesses, industry, commerce, tourism, and the service industry, or are self-employed. The unemployment level in 2005 was roughly 2.8%, which is lower than the national Italian average of 7% (2006), or the Austrian average of 4.9% (2006). Small businesses are primarily involved with cabinet making, construction, painting and decorating, plumbing, meat preparation, and baking.
[edit] Language
- Further information: Linguistic and demographic history of Alto Adige-South Tyrol
| Languages of the Province of Bolzano-Bozen. Majorities per municipality in 2001: |
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| Official language(s) | German majority (103) Ladin majority (8) Italian majority (5) |
| Source | Population and Social Life of the Province of Bolzano-Bozen, Statistical Yearbook 2006, p.121, 3.f |
At the time of the annexation of the southern part of Tyrol by Italy in 1919, the overwhelming majority of the population spoke German: In 1910, according to the last population census before World War I, the German-speaking population numbered 224,000, the Ladin 9,000 and the Italian 7,000.[23] During the Fascist regime under Mussolini, an Italianization campaign aimed at implementing Italian throughout the province, including in schools, universities and the press.[24] Following a long struggle of the German-speaking Tyrolian population, which culminated in Austria taking the issue to the United Nations in 1960, Italy and Austria officially ended their dispute with an autonomy agreement in 1992.[25]
Today both Italian and German have the status of co-official languages in the province of Bolzano-Bozen. Ladin is the additional official language in some municipalities. According to the census of 2001, 103 out of 116 communes have a majority of German native speakers, 8 of Ladin speakers and 5 of Italian.
The linguistic breakdown according to the census of 2001:[26]
| Language | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| German | 290,774 | 69.38 |
| Italian | 110,206 | 26.30 |
| Ladin | 18,124 | 4.32 |
| Total | 419,104 | 100 |
The Italian-speaking minority is mainly based around the city of Bolzano, where they are the majority (73% of the population). It has mainly immigrated from the south after 1922. There are other four comuni where the Italian-speaking population is the majority are Laives, Salorno, Bronzolo and Vadena. Eight comuni are Ladin majority: La Val, Badia, Corvara in Badia, Marebbe, San Martino in Badia, Santa Cristina Val Gardena, Selva di Val Gardena, Ortisei).
[edit] Sports
A German- and Ladin-speaking football team from the province of Bolzano-Bozen played in the tournament for European minorities in Switzerland in 2008. The inaugural Europeada 2008 was won by this team (using the name South Tyrol) after beating the Croats in Serbia and the Roma team in the finals and semi-finals, respectively.
[edit] Friendship agreements
Zhangjiakou, China (2007) [27]
[edit] References
- ^ "Bolzano (province, Italy)" (html). Encyclopedia Britannica. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/72446/Bolzano. Retrieved on 2009-02-26.
- ^ "Trentino-Alto Adige". Encyclopedia Britannica. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/604300/Trentino-Alto-Adige#ref246646. Retrieved on 2009-02-26.
- ^ "Popolazione residente al 1 Gennaio 2006 per età, sesso e stato civile Provincia: Bolzano-Bozen". Istat census data. http://demo.istat.it/pop2006/query.php?m1=&m2=&m3=&m4=&m5=y&f1=&f2=&f3=&f4=&f5=y&daanno=0&adanno=100&lingua=ita&Rip=S2&Reg=R04&Pro=P021&Com=000&submit=Tavola. Retrieved on 2007-11-30.
- ^ "Autonomy Statute" (PDF). Official website of the Province. http://www.provincia.bz.it/lpa/autonomy/autonomy_statute_eng.pdf. Retrieved on 2007-07-06.
- ^ "Province Statistics". Italian institute of statistics (Istat). http://www.upinet.it/indicatore.asp?id_statistiche=6. Retrieved on 2007-07-06.
- ^ demo.istat.it
- ^ Anthony Alcock. "The South Tyrol Autonomy. A Short Introduction" (PDF). http://www.provincia.bz.it/lpa/autonomy/South-Tyrol%20Autonomy.pdf. Retrieved on 2007-11-14.
- ^ "Special Statute for Trentino-Alto Adige" (PDF). http://www.provincia.bz.it/lpa/autonomy/autonomy_statute_eng.pdf. Retrieved on 2007-11-14.
- ^ "Tbilisi’s S.Ossetia Diplomatic Offensive Gains Momentum". http://www.civil.ge/eng/detail.php?id=15335. Retrieved on 2007-11-14.
- ^ "Official homepage in Italian". http://www.consiglio-bz.org/it/default.asp. Retrieved on 2007-11-14.
- ^ "Official homepage in German". http://www.landtag-bz.org/de/default.asp. Retrieved on 2007-11-14.
- ^ "Official homepage in Ladin". http://www.consiglio-bz.org/la/default.asp. Retrieved on 2007-11-14.
- ^ "Official homepage in Italian". http://www.provincia.bz.it/aprov/giunta-provinciale/saluto.htm. Retrieved on 2007-11-14.
- ^ "Official homepage in German". http://www.provincia.bz.it/aprov/landesregierung/grusswort_d.htm. Retrieved on 2007-11-14.
- ^ Cossiga, Francesco (June 8, 2006). "Riconoscimento del diritto di autodeterminazione al Land Südtyrol – Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano". Disegno di Legge Costituzionale N. 592. Senato della Repubblica XV Legislatura. http://www.senato.it/service/PDF/PDFServer/BGT/00209688.pdf. Retrieved on 2009-02-21.
- ^ "Die Vision Freistaat". Panel discussion held by Dr. Günther Pallaver (Political Scientist, Professor at the Faculty of Political Science of the University of Innsbruck), with Dr. Riccardo Dello Sbarba (Landtagsabgeordneter der Grünen Fraktion), Dr. Eva Klotz (Landtagsabgeordnete der Südtiroler Freiheit), Pius Leitner (Landtagsabgeordneter der Freitheitlichen), Dr. Martha Stocker (Landtagsabgeordnete der Südtiroler Volkspartei). Cusanus Akademie in Brixen. February 2, 2009. http://www.cusanus.bz.it/de/veranstaltungen/veranstaltungen-detail.asp?lProjectID=102479. Retrieved on 2009-02-22.
- ^ "Selbstbestimmungsrenaissance?". Intervista a Professor Günther Pallaver. Brennerbasisdemokratie. February 2, 2009. http://www.brennerbasisdemokratie.eu/?p=1580. Retrieved on 2009-02-22.
- ^ "Landtagswahlen 2008". Listenstimmen auf Sektionsebene. Presseamt der Autonomen Provinz Bozen - Südtirol. October 26, 2008. http://wahlen.provinz.bz.it/pdf_ld_vl.pdf. Retrieved on 2009-02-21.
- ^ "Wissenschaftliche Meinungsumfrage des Heimatbundes und Cossiga-Vorschlag". SOFFI-Institut. 2006. http://www.suedtiroler-freiheitskampf.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=38. Retrieved on 2009-02-22.
- ^ "Meinungsumfrage zur Selbstbestimmung: Nur 55% der Italiener würden definitiv für Italien wählen". apollis Institute of Social Research and Opinion Polling. 2008. http://www.suedtiroler-freiheitskampf.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=81&Itemid=1. Retrieved on 2009-02-22.
- ^ "Gesamttirol gewinnt Anhänger". Tiroler Tageszeitung. January 4, 2009. http://www.tt.com/tt/tirol/story.csp?cid=1777630&sid=56&fid=21. Retrieved on 2009-02-22.
- ^ Regional GDP per inhabitant in the EU27, provided by Eurostat
- ^ Oscar Benvenuto (ed.): "South Tyrol in Figures 2008", Provincial Statistics Institute of the Autonomous Province of South Tyrol, Bozen/Bolzano 2007, p. 19, Table 11
- ^ Rolf Steininger: "South Tyrol: A Minority Conflict of the Twentieth Century", Transaction Publishers, 2003, ISBN 9780765808004, pp.21-46
- ^ Rolf Steininger: "South Tyrol: A Minority Conflict of the Twentieth Century", Transaction Publishers, 2003, ISBN 9780765808004, pp.2
- ^ "South Tyrol in figures" (PDF). Table 9 - Declarations of which language group belong to/affiliated to - Population Census 2001. http://www.provincia.bz.it/downloads/Siz_2006-eng.pdf. Retrieved on 2007-11-15.
- ^ "Cina: Inaugurato Centro Sci Dolomiti Made In Alto Adige". http://ansa.it/opencms/export/site/notizie/notiziari/qualitaaltoadige/visualizza_new.html_43948211.html. Retrieved on 2007-11-27.
[edit] See also
- Communes of the province of Bolzano-Bozen
- List of castles in the province of Bolzano-Bozen
- Valleys of the province of Bolzano-Bozen
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Province of Bolzano-Bozen |
- Official homepage of the provincial administration
- Special Statute for Trentino-Alto Adige
- Official touristic website
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