DALMA'TIA, a narrow strip of territory, extending along the Adriatic sea, and bounded on the n. by Croatia, on the e. by Bosnia, Herzegovina, and .Montenegro. Lat. 42' 15' to 44' 54' n., long. 14' 30' to 19° e. It forms, with its adjacent islands, the most southern crownland of the Austrian empire. Area, 4,881 sq.m.; pop. '69, 436,961. The coast of D. is everywhere steep and rocky, and the adjacent series of islands, divided by picturesque straits and channels, are of a like character. Numerous bays intersecting the coast form excellent havens and landing-places. Offsets from the Di narie Alps traverse the interior, and attain in Mt. Orien, the highest culminating point, an elevation of 6,332 the Velebich mountains, separating D. from Croatia, and which belong to the Julian Alps, have a height of more than 5,000 ft. The mountains of D., for the most part composed of limestone, present a bleak and barren aspect, with many romantic chasms and fissures, through which dash impetuous mountain-streams. The chief rivers —none of which, however, are of any importance—are the Zermagna, Kerka, Cettina, and Narenta, the second and third of which are broken in several places by beautiful cascades and falls. The lakes are numerous, but, with the exception of Lake Vrana —which is separated from the Adriatic by only a narrow tongue of land, and the waters of which are brackish—they are periodical, drying up in summer, and filling their beds in late autumn. A large part of the whole area of D. consists of moor and morass, yet in summer there is often a great scarcity of water. The climate is in general warmer than that of any other part of Austria, the African sirocco being occasionally felt on its shores. The minerals are limestone, coal, gypsum, etc. Agriculture is in a backward state. About one ninth of the land is arable, and produces wheat, barley, oats, maize; rye, and potatoes. Wine and olives are also produced. More than half of the land is in pasture, and wood occupies about a fith. The islands are not very fertile, but supply good timber for ship-building. Cattle-rearing, sea-faring, and the fisheries on the coast, are the chief kinds of industry. The live-stock in 1872 consisted of 673,600 sheep; 280,630 goats, 6,000 mules, 16,000 asses, 17,000 horses, and 26,300 pigs. The annual
value of the exports and imports is £1,500,000. The exports consist principally of wine, oil, brandy, hides, wool, wax, honey, and fruits. Of the whole population it is computed that about 53,000 are Italians, 1000 Albanians, 1000 Germans, 500 Jews, and the remainder consists of southern Slavonians—chiefly Dalmatians and Morlaks. Tile Dalmatians are a fine race of men—bold and brave as seamen and soldiers—and formerly were the main support of the military power of Venice. But it must be added that they are deceitful and rapacious, while the love of independence is extreme. They speak the Illyrian; Servian or Herzegovinian dialect; but the language used in the govenment especially in Spalatro, is the Italian. The Morlaks—who inhabit the interior, the mountainous district, and the Turkish sanjak of Hersek—are also good soldiers, hos pitable and faithful to their engagements, lovers of independence, but it is said they are addicted to robbeey and drunkenness. D. is divided into four circles—Zara, Spa Intro (or Spalato), Ragusa, and Cattaro. These are also the names of the chief towns.
In ancient times, D. was a considerable kingdom. and, after many unsuccessful attempts, was first subjugated by the Romans in the time of Augustus. After the fall of the western empire, D., which had formed the most southern part of the province Illyrieum, was captured by the Goths, from whom it was taken by the Avari (490). who in their turn yielded it to the Slavonians about 620. The state founded by the Slavonians continued until the beginning of the 11th c., when king Ladislaus of Hungary incorporated a part of D. with while the other part, with title of duchy, placed itself under the protection of the Venetian republic. The Turks after wards made themselves masters of a small portion; and by the peace of Campo Formio (1797), the Venetian part of D., with \ enice itself, became subject to Austrian rule; and when Austria, in 1805, had ceded this part of D. to Napoleon, it was annexed to the kingdom of Italy; afterwards (1810) to Illyria. Since 1814, D. forms pgtrt of Austria; the commune of Spizza being added by the congress of Berlin in 1878.