Vorarlberg, the most westerly province of Austria, has an area of 2601 km2 and
a population of 331,500. It is devided into four political districts, Bludenz,
Bregenz, Dornbirn and Feldkirch and has 96 municipalities. From the other
Austrian provinces the "land in front of the Arlberg" is only accessible via
passes and the Arlberg tunnel. To the east it borders on Tirol, to the west
and the south on Switzerland and Liechtenstein and to the north on Germany.
The Kleinwalsertal valley, situated to the northeast outside the mountain
range, is only accessible via Germany, the currency used there is the
German Mark. Vorarlberg is a land of mountains, two thirds of the area lie
above 1000m. In the northwest of the province Lake Constance and the wide
Alpine Rhine valley determine the landscape and the climate. Bregenz, the
capaital, situated at the edge of the Bregenzerwald, a region of mountains,
hills and deep-cut valleys, marks the entrance. In the sunny, wide Rhein
valley, a transit route to the heart of Vorarlberg, grow fruits and wine.
In Lustenau and Dornbirn, the largest town in Vorarlberg, the combination
of industry, trade and agriculture was carried out in an unparalleled way.
The medieval town od Feldkirch lies at the entrance of the Ill valley. The
Ill is the main river of south Vorarlberg. From the littlle town of Bludenz
five valleys lead into four mountain ranges: the Kloster valley (Lechtal Alps,
Arlberg massif), Montafon (Silvretta and Verwall group), Brandner valley
(Rätikon), Grosses Walsertal and Walgau.
