ISTRIA, isftri-it. An Austrian margraviate and crownland, forming part of the modern divi sion called Kiistenland, or Coast Districts (Map; Austria-Hungary, C' 4). It consists'of a penin sula. the ancient Histria, projecting into the northeast part of the Adriatic Sea, and the islands of Veglia, Cherso, and a few others, cov ering a total area of 1910 square miles. The peninsula is bordered on the north by Triest, Glirz and Gradisca, and Carniola, on the east by Fiume, Croatia, and the Bay of Quarnero, and on the south and west by the Adriatic. The penin sula has well-indented coasts, and is traversed by a chain of rocky mountains from north to south, enlminating in the peak of Monte Maggiore, nearly 4600 feet high. The shores are generally precipitous. The chief streams are the Arsa in the east and the Quieto in the west.
The climate is very warm and dry. The severe minds along the coasts are greatly feared by the inhabitants. Istria has little land adapted for tillage, but its pasture• lands are extensive as well as its forests. The climate is favorable to the cultivation of southern fruits, such as olives and figs. Istria also produces an excellent grape, and its wines are famous. Of mineral products it yields chiefly alum, lignite, and salt. The large forests furnish good material for ships, and ship building is a very extensive industry. The sea fishing is also important. The manufacturing industries are as yet undeveloped. Owing to its numerous harbors Istria is one of the most im portant commercial districts of Austria, and Pola, at the southern end of the peninsula, is the chief naval station of the Empire. The total
shipping of all the Istrian harbors amounts to about 6,500,000 tons annually. Istria has a separate Diet of 33 members, and sends 5 repre sentatives to the Lower House of the Austrian Reichsrat. For administrative purposes it is divided into six districts and the municipality of Rovigno. The population in 1900 was 344, 173, an increase of 8.4 per cent. for the decade. The populatiOn is almost exclusively Roman Catholic. About 40 per cent. of the people are Serbo-Croats, and about 34 per cent. Italians. The capital is the little town of Parenzo. The ancient Istrians belonged to the stock of Illyr ians, like them were pirates, and were subjected by the Romans under C. Claudius, B.C. 177. Part of their country was later united to Italy, part to Illyricum. It fell into the hands of the Goths in the fifth century. In the seventh century Slavic peoples penetrated into the region. In the course of the Middle Ages parts of Istria were at different times under the rule of the Byzan tine emperors, the Franks, the dukes of Carin thia, margraves of various petty German houses, the Patriarch of Aquileja, the Venetians, the counts of Gorz, and the House of Austria, the bulk of the peninsula finally remaining in the hands of the Venetians and the northeastern or German portion in those of Austria. On the extinction of the Venetian Republic, in 1797, the whole of Istria became an Austrian possession.