Tirol

State (pop., 2001: 673,504), western Austria. Covering 4,883 sq mi (12,647 sq km), it consists of North Tirol and East Tirol, separated by the state of Salzburg and the Italian region of Trentino–Alto Adige. Tirol is a mountainous area bordered by the Bavarian Alps and the Ötztaler Alps. Its capital is Innsbruck. Tirol came under Roman control in the 1st century BC. In the Middle Ages it was ruled by various counts and bishops until it passed to the Habsburgs in 1363. It was the scene of revolts in 1525 during the Reformation, and again in 1809 against French and Bavarian rule. The southern Tirol was transferred to Italy in 1919. Renowned for its skiing, it attracts many tourists.