(frē ´lē-vānĕ´tsyä j´lyä)
, region (1991 pop. 1,197,666), 3,031 sq mi (7,850 sq km), NE Italy, bordering on Austria in the north and on Slovenia in the east. Trieste is the capital of the region, which is divided into Gorizia, Pordenone, Trieste, and Udine provs. (named for their capitals). It extends from the E Alps in the north to the Adriatic Sea in the south and is drained by the Tagliamento River. It is an area of considerable seismic activity; a 1976 earthquake north of Udine killed over 1,000 people. Farming is the chief occupation; cereals, potatoes, and grapes are the leading crops, and dairy cattle and hogs are raised. Industrialization has accelerated since 1945; manufactures include textiles, processed food, refined petroleum, chemicals, and machinery. The region was formed in 1947 by the merger of Udine prov. with that part of the former region of Venezia Giulia not annexed by Yugoslavia. Trieste prov. was added in 1954. In 1963 Friuli—Venezia Giulia was given limited autonomy. It contains the western part of the historic region of Friuli. There is a university at Trieste.
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