[edit] Etymology

The province is generally known as Trentino.^{[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]} The name derives from the capital city of the province, Trento, also known historically as Trent in English. Originally, the term was used by the local population only to refer to the city itself and its immediate surroundings, while the common name for the whole region under Austrian rule was Welschtirol ("Italian Tyrol").^[11]

The Italian term Tirolo meridionale is a term that was historically used to describe the wider southern part of the County of Tyrol, specifically Trentino and sometimes also today's South Tyrol.^[12][13][14] In its wider sense, Trentino was first used around 1848 in an article by a cleric member of the Frankfurt National Assembly and henceforward became popular among leftist intellectual circles.^[11]

Since the new 1972 autonomous status the administrative name of the province is Autonomous Province of Trento (Italian: Provincia autonoma di Trento, German: Autonome Provinz Trient).^[15]

[edit] History

Buonconsiglio Castle in Trent was the seat of the Prince-Bishops since the 13th century

Trentino is part of the Euroregion Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino, which corresponds to the historic Tyrol region (excluding Cortina and Livinallongo)

The history of Trentino begins in the mid-Stone Age. The valleys of what is now Trentino were already inhabited by man, the main settlements being in the valley of the Adige River, thanks to its milder climate. Formerly part of the Kingdom of Italy and the March of Verona, the Bishopric of Trent was established as a State of the Holy Roman Empire latest in 1027 by Emperor Conrad II. It was an ecclesiastical territory roughly corresponding to the present-day Trentino, ruled by the Prince-Bishops of Trent. The Council of Trent from 1545–63 was one of the important councils in the history of the Roman Catholic Church. With the Napoleonic Wars, the bishopric was secularised and absorbed into the Austrian County of Tyrol, ruled by the House of Habsburg-Lorraine. The region saw heavy fighting during World War I, as it was directly on the front lines between Austria-Hungary and Italy.^[16] Trentino remained a part of Austria until 1919, when it was annexed by Italy in the Treaty of Saint-Germain.

After World War II, the Gruber-De Gasperi Agreement was signed by the Italian and Austrian Foreign Ministers, creating the autonomous region of Trentino-South Tyrol, consisting of the autonomous provinces of Trentino and South Tyrol. Since this treaty, Trentino enjoys wide autonomy from the central government in Rome, with its own government and legislative assembly.

In 1996, the Euroregion Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino was formed between the Austrian state of Tyrol and the Italian provinces of South Tyrol and Trentino. The boundaries of the association correspond to the old County of Tyrol. The aim is to promote regional peace, understanding and cooperation in many areas. The region's assemblies meet together as one on various occasions and have set up a common liaison office to the European Union in Brussels.

[edit] Geography

The Marmolada in the northeast is the highest mountain of the Dolomites

Trentino is an almost entirely mountainous region with a main valley crossing it in its centre. This valley is named after the Adige river flowing within it. The principal towns of Trentino lay on the Adige Valley as it is the largest one and has been a historical passage connecting Italy with Northern Europe. Among other important valleys are Non Valley, known for its apple production, Sole Valley, Giudicarie, which has been historically connected by Trento and Brescia, Fiemme, Lagarina, Mocheni, Sole, Sugana Valley and many others.

The province has an area of 6,214 km², and a total population of 524826 (2010). There are 217 comuni (singular: comune), in the province.^[17]

The Marmolada with over 3,300 metres above sealevel is the highest mountain in the region and the highest in the Dolomites. The glacier on the Marmolada is also a landmark. Other high mountains include the Monte Baldo, Carè Alto, Cermis, Crozzon di Brenta, Hintere Eggenspitze, Latemar, Marmolada, Paganella, Piz Boè, Presanella, Punta San Matteo and Vezzana.

[edit] Politics

The Trentino/Welschtirol's flag

The 1972 second Statute of Autonomy for Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol devolved most legislative and executive competences from the regional level to the provincial level, creating de facto two separate regions. Administratively, the province enjoys a large degree of autonomy in the following sectors: health, education, welfare and transport infrastructure. The provincial council comprises 35 members, one of whom must by law be drawn from the Ladin minority.

In the last elections in 2008, the strongest party became the Democratic Party (Partito Democratico del Trentino) with 8 deputies, Union for Trentino (7), Lega Nord Trentino (6), The People of Freedom (5), Trentino Tyrolean Autonomist Party (3), Divina Civic List (2), Greens and Democrats of Trentino (1), Ladin Autonomist Union (1), Italy of Values (1) and Administer Trentino (1).

The executive powers are attributed to the provincial government (Italian: Giunta Provinciale, German: Landesregierung), headed by the governor (Presidente, Landeshauptmann). Since 1999 the governor is Lorenzo Dellai of the centrist Union for Trentino party. The president of the provincial council alternates with the governor of South Tyrol as president of the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region. The regional government has its seat in the former Hotel Imperial in Trent.

The Ladin community has one reserved seat in the provincial assembly and is thereby guaranteed political representation.

[edit] Administration

Due the division of the province into the 217 municipalities (Comuni/Gemeinden), often of small or even tiny size, in the late 1970s eleven larger units called districts (comprensori) were introduced. The municipalities forming a district elect the council of it. However, this tier of government has provoked criticism, and, in 2006, a reform created fifteen more homogenous "Valley Communities" (comunità di valle, Talgemeinden) and one territory including the municipalities of Trent, Cimone, Aldeno and Garniga Terme (see Municipalities of Trentino).

Map of Trentino with its 11 districts, abolished in 2006

As of 2009, the only municipalities with a population over 20,000 were Trent, Rovereto, and Pergine Valsugana.

[edit] Economy

A view of Lake Garda from the Riva del Garda in the south. Tourism is one of the main factors of the Trentine econonmy.

Despite the overwhelmingly mountainous nature of the territory, agriculture remains important. Farms often join together to form larger cooperatives. The most important produce comprises: apples (50% of national production, together with South Tyrol) and other fruit, vegetables (mainly in the Val di Gresta) and grape: important especially for its quality, the latter is used for the production of dry and sparkling wines.

In January 2008, the Edmund Mach Foundation was established to promote research, training and services in the agricultural, agri-food and environmental fields.

The main industries, often small- and medium-sized, are concentrated in Valsugana, Vallagarina and the Adige Valleys. Sectors include textiles, mechanics, wood and paper productions. Also important is the production of hydro-electric energy.

Tourism is the mainstay of the provincial economy. The main resorts include: Madonna di Campiglio, San Martino di Castrozza, Fiera di Primiero, Canazei, Moena, Cavalese, Folgaria, Folgarida-Marilleva, Riva del Garda and Levico Terme, Comano Terme and Roncegno, these last three being renowned thermal stations.

[edit] Transport

Roadmap of Trentino

The Trentino province is crossed by the main road and rail connections between Italy and Germany. These include the Brenner A22 motorway and road which passes through the Etsch/Adige Valley. A regional project of switching much of the road traffic to railways is currently under consideration.

The province has two more railways: the Valsugana Line, connecting Trento to Venice and the Trento-Malè-Marilleva railway between Trento and Malè.

[edit] Demographics

In 2009 the population of Trentino was 524,826. The average population density was around 82.5 inhabitants/km2. The highest concentration of population is located around the capital city of Trent, and the southern parts. The whole region is divided up into 217 municipalities. The majority of the Trentino population is Italian-speaking with its local dialects.

[edit] Languages

#	Name	Municipalities	Inhabitants	Capital	Map
1	Comunità territoriale della Val di Fiemme	11	18.567	Cavalese
2	Comunità di Primiero	8	9.836	Tonadico
3	Comunità Valsugana e Tesino	21	25.694	Borgo Valsugana
4	Comunità Alta Valsugana e Bersntol	18	45.228	Pergine Valsugana
5	Comunità della Valle di Cembra	11	10.854	Faver
6	Comunità della Val di Non	38	37.143	Cles
7	Comunità della Valle di Sole	14	15.020	Malè
8	Comunità delle Giudicarie	39	35.647	Tione di Trento
9	Comunità Alto Garda e Ledro	7	42.955	Riva del Garda
10	Comunità della Vallagarina	17	78.482	Rovereto
11	Comun General de Fascia	7	9.195	Pozza di Fassa
12	Magnifica Comunità degli Altipiani cimbri	3	4.442	Lavarone
13	Comunità Rotaliana-Königsberg	8	25.953	Mezzocorona
14	Comunità della Paganella	5	4.731	Andalo
15	Val d'Adige territory	4	110.061
16	Comunità della Valle dei Laghi	6	9.349	Vezzano

Languages of Trentino. Majorities per municipality in 2001:
Official language(s)	Italian majority (212) Ladin majority (7) Mócheno majority (3) Cimbrian majority (1)
Regional language(s)	Nones Solandro
Source	Tav. I.5 - Appartenenza alla popolazione di lingua ladina, mochena e cimbra, per comune di area di residenza (Censimento 2001), Annuario Statistico 2006. Autonomous Province of Trento. 2007

The region is also home to three other indigenous linguistic minorities, which are Ladin and the German-speaking Mócheno and Cimbrian inhabitants. All three groups are protected by regional and provincial laws, statutes and regulations.

After World War II and the devolution of power to regional authorities did a change in policy slowly begin, which gained momentum in the 1990s. Since then a number of far-reaching laws and regulations have been passed and implemented, that protect and promote the use of these three languages and the unique cultural heritage and identity. This has for example been extended to school curricula in the regional languages and street signs becoming bilingual. All three minorities have their own cultural institute which were decreed by national law and receive state funds. The purpose of these cultural institutes is to safeguard and promote the respective culture and languages.

The Ladin minority is found in the Fascia Valley, in the municipalities of Cianacei, Ciampedèl, Mazin, Moena, Poza, Soraga and Vich. In the census of 2001, 16,462 inhabitants of Trentino declared Ladin as their native language,.^[18]

Mócheno is still spoken in the municipalities of Garait, Palai en Bersntol and Vlarötz, while the Cimbrian language is spoken in Lusérn.^[1] The 2001 census found there were 2,276 native Mócheno and 882 Cimbrian speakers.^[18] The linguistic breakdown according to the census of 2001 is:^[19]

The Nones language hails from the Non Valley and is considered by some linguists a variant of Ladin. Estimates range up to 30,000 speakers. The Solandro language is also under debate whereas it is a Ladin dialect or not. Native speakers of it are mainly found in the Sole Valley and are estimated to be up to 15,000. Both are though a part of Gallo-Romance languages. There is however no official census to date that has Nones and Solandro as a declared separate language. The total number of Ladin speakers in the census of 2001 exceeds the number present of around 7,500 in the Fascia Valley. A number of Nones and Solandro speakers chose to declare themselves as Ladin speakers, while others chose not to exercise that option due to the disagreement whether or not their languages are in fact Ladin or something separate.

[edit] Culture

[edit] Sports

2008 Maratona dles Dolomites ascent to Campolongo Pass, with Corvara in the background

The region offers many opportunities for mountain climbing and trekking and winter sports. Important winter events are the world championships organised by the International Ski Federation (FSI) such as the Nordic ski 1991 and 2003, snowboarding 2001 and freestyle ski championship 2007, as well as the Adamello Ski Raid and Marcialonga.

During the summer, cycling is a big event in the region, such as the Giro del Trentino and Maratona dles Dolomites over the mountain passes. Cross country racing such as the Cross della Vallagarina and the 10-kilometre road running competition Giro al Sas also take place.

Association football is a popular ball sport in Trentino. Teams within the region are U.S. Alta Vallagarina, A.C. Mezzocorona, A.S.D. Porfido Albiano and Trento Calcio 1921.

The Trentino Volley is a successful regional volleyball team.

[edit] See also

• History of Tyrol