Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Friuli-Venezia Giulia, region, northeastern Italy, bordered on the north by Austria, on the east by Slovenia, on the south by the Gulf of Venice (an arm of the Adriatic Sea), and on the west by the Italian region of Veneto. The region is divided into Gorizia, Pordenone, Trieste, and Udine provinces. The northern portion of the region is mountainous, with some elevations exceeding 2,740 m (8,990 ft); it receives the highest rainfall in Italy. This area, the Friuli section, is known for its trade in ham and dairy products. Other industries include livestock raising, lead and zinc mining, and some lumbering. The Tagliamento River runs in a northern-southern direction through the center of the region into the Adriatic Sea. In the south a low fertile coastal plain supports subsistence agriculture. The chief products are wheat, corn and other vegetables, and fruits, particularly grapes for wine. Along the coast fishing is important. Tobacco is produced in the southeast around Trieste, the regional capital and one of Italy's chief ports. Both Trieste and Monfalcone contain shipyards. Other leading cities are Udine and Gorizia. Industries include the manufacture of textiles, chemicals, cutlery, and machinery.

In the 2nd century bc the area that is now Friuli-Venezia Giulia was occupied by the Romans, who called it the Julian region. Later it came under the control of the Byzantines, the Venetians, and the Habsburgs. In the 18th century the Habsburgs made Trieste a free port. In 1866 Udine, or the western portion of Friuli, became part of the kingdom of Italy; eastern Friuli was joined to Italy after World War I, becoming part of the province of Venezia Giulia. After World War II Udine Province and Gorizia, a portion of Venezia Giulia, were combined to form the modern region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. In 1954 the northern half of the former Free Territory of Trieste, including the city of Trieste, was assigned to Italy by the United Nations and incorporated into the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Pordenone Province was established in 1968. Area, 7,844 sq km (3,029 sq mi); population 1,204,718 (2005 estimate).